Best close-by offsite restaurants

[sharona]

Hi. For those who stay offsite or go offsite for some meals - what are your favorite places in the WDW area? We're looking for reasonably priced family restaurants - any type of food but our favorites are Italian, American and Chinese.

We're staying at Pop and AKL. Our current plans are to eat about 4 dinners offsite. Please no "we like to stay immersed in the magic" comments or advice about the convenience of dining onsite. It's not that I don't appreciate those points of view but we've already done WDW that way. We're really just hoping to get some recommendations of places that are not too far away from our resorts and have good food for a fair price.

TIA for any places you can recommend.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Lets see not to far from DTD over in the Crossing shopping center are several places like Ci Ci Pizza buffet for $4.99 a person. There is Sweet Tomato which has a wonderful salad buffet and a few hot foods. If you sign up on the their website they send BOGO coupons and the meals are $6.99 a person. Fuddruckers is also located over there. There is a taco bell, bw3, there as well.


You can get a whole pizza from the Hess station by the Car Care Center for $9.00 and certain days of the week you get a free 2 liter of pop. Their pizza is very good.

 

[aras4007]

There are tons of places close by. Landry's Steak and Seafood, Bahama Breeze, Longhorn Steakhouse, Cici's Pizza, Joe's Crab Shack, Sweet Tomatoes, Giordanos, I believe theres an Outback and Olive Garden too. All these places have websites so you can go on and check the menus and locations to see whats best for your family and whats closest. Enjoy!

 

[FireDancer]

Cafe D'Antonio in Celebration has good Italian food. My favorite restaurant in Orlando though is Seasons 52 and it is an easy drive from WDW.

 

[sharona]

Cafe D'Antonio in Celebration has good Italian food. My favorite restaurant in Orlando though is Seasons 52 and it is an easy drive from WDW.

I recently read a very good review of Seasons52. We may have to put that on our list!

Thanks all for the info and recommendations.

 

[FamilyDisneyLovers]

We do not eat off grounds but try Restaurant.com the web site offers discount gift cert. they have a ton for the orlando area.

 

[maggiew]

We've eaten at the Orlando Ale house. It is just outside the DTD area. It had good pub type food. I got a fried shrimp meal that had like 30 shrimp and it was around $8??? My DD got a chicken "zinger" meal which was like chicken breast tenders. I don't remember what DH got but maybe ribs? I think my other DD got a burger. My mom shared the shrimp meal with me.

http://www.millersalehouse.com/HOME.htm

I wouldn't say its the "best" offsite restaurant, like you asked in your title. However, it was good food for a good price, if that is what you are looking for.



We also ate at Romano's Macaroni Grill. It is just outside of the DTD area. Go out the hotel plaza blvd and turn left. I got the make your own pasta meal. It was your typical italian chain food but I thought it was good.

http://www.macaronigrill.com/Menu/Menu.aspx?UnitId=410.002.0081


We don't often go offsite to eat because we usually don't have a car. But we ate at these 2 places when we did a non-disney couple of nights before our cruise. We also stayed offsite at the Sheraton Safari, which is right by both of these places.

Maggie

 

[FireDancer]

I should have added that you can check Urban Spoon or Yelp to get restaurant recommendations. I use it when I travel and more often than not the reviews are accurate.

If you prefer locally owned restaurants to chains, as I do, Orlando isn't exactly the best city restaurant-wise.

 

[TDC Nala]

Moving to the Orlando board as the OP is specifically asking about restaurants outside Disney property.

 

[Euphoria027]

I read an awesome Florida food blog: http://watch-me-eat.blogspot.com/

At the bottom of the posts, there are tags based on location, so you can find one tagged 'Orlando' and see pictures of entrees.

 

[bucsfan1029]

Fuddurckers is a great family restaurant and right across from DTD. If you like Japanese steak houses, check out Benihana. They have a location in the Hilton at DTD and on International (close to the outlet mall).

 

[metzger01]

I'm not so sure of good restaurants, but I did notice that there are several on Restaurant.com that are in the area. I know that House of Blues was on there, because I got one there a couple of nights ago. If you type in DEAL for the promo code there is an 80% discount, which is really good. Be aware that most establishments will pre-figure in an 18% tip on the full value before the discount is taken and add it to the bill. Most $25 gift certificates only require the bill to be $35 or more, and these $25 certificates can cost as little as $2.00-$3.00 when the promo code is added. So, it's an excellent deal. The Promo code expires on Mar 27, but the certificates I've gotten so far never expire.

 

[juliebean]

I signed up for Sweet Tomatoes emails and they send coupons - including dinner for 2 adults and 2 kids for $20. Plus, it's a nice change from junk food.

 

[Orlando Vic]

I recently read a very good review of Seasons52. We may have to put that on our list!

Thanks all for the info and recommendations.

There are tons of good reviews for Seasons 52. It (there is another in Altamonte Springs) is one of the best restaurants in town! Reservations are definitely a good idea!

 

[iloveokw]

We eat offsite more than we do onsite.

We usually eat very casual meals favorites are:

Orlando Ale House....one in LBV, and nice new one on International Drive.
Sweet Tomatoes....nice change from burgers.
Giordano's pizza (have gotten gc on restaurant.com)...Chicago style deep dish....yummo.
Flipper's Pizza...good thin crust....good deals online and they deliver for $1.
Bahama Breeze..little more $$$, good food and atmosphere.

Usual chains nearby: Red Lobster, Chevy's, Perkins, Joe's Crab Shack, Ramanos Mac Grill, CiCi's, Perkins, Pizza Hut, Chili's Fridays. We like to try somewhere different than we get at home.

Not offsite, but we LOVE Earl of Sandwich at DD.

 

[mnrose]

I recently read a very good review of Seasons52. We may have to put that on our list!

Thanks all for the info and recommendations.

Seasons 52 is excellent. When we were there in Feb, we did the Chef's Table to celebrate a special birthday, and it was one of the best meals I've ever eaten in a restaurant. Staff was great too.

 

[DisneyWisher]

We love Logan's. When leaving Pop turn left on Victory Way, left onto Osceola pkwy, you'll go past I-4 and turn right on International Drive (Gaylord Palms is on the corner, go to the end and uturn to turn into Logans parking lot (also there is a Publix grocery store right behind in case you need snacks, soda, water...) when DD27 and I went with grandkids. DD and had $20 meal for 2 consisted of Appy to share, we both got 6 oz steaks, baked potatoes, salads and either 2 mini desserts or a regular dessert to share all for $20. Kids got $2.99 meals both got grilled chicken breast, mashed potatoes and I think ranch and carrots. They also have amazing yeast bread and it was also happy hour 2 margaritas for $4.20. It's just a 5 min ride from Pop

 

[TnTWalter]

Logans has the 2 for $13.99 deal and kids meals $2.99.

Good cheap fast.

Giordani's

Earl of Sandwich

trying the Ale House this trip and possibly Flippers and Sweet tomato and Chevy's.

 

[crazyfordisney2000]

Bumpity bump bump

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Sweet tomato
http://www.sweettomatoes.com/locations/restaurant.aspx?store_id=116&store_name=Lake_Buena_Vista


They send coupons all the time. Just got a BOGO and one that 4 can eat for $19.99 after 4pm