Best lobster buffet

[calena]

I'd like to go to a buffet with lobster. Anyone recommend one? We are staying in Kissimmee.

 

[lisa and john]

Hi Calena,

I am interested in this information as well! Someone did recommend this restaurant to me that is located close to Cocoa Beach, so it's a bit of a drive. We plan to go there on our trip in March
http://www.nbbd.com/dixiecrossroads/
It doesn't look like there is a buffet, but the menu looks good. If you find a good place, or try this one out, be sure to post a review!
have a great trip!

 

[Tink's little fan]

we are from PA and my DH LOVES seafood. During our last visit he was determined that FL would have good seafood since FL is surrounded by water. But to our amazment, he was sorely disappointed. Most of the ads for lobsters stated that they were flew in fresh daily from New England. Now that doesn't sound very FL-ish. Maybe someone can explain to me/us the logic.

But as far as reviews.... several years ago (4/2002) we went to Angel's on SR 192 The food was OK, but the restaurant wasn't the cleanest adn the place was packed for the early bird special. I would never wait in that line of people again to save a few bucks. Plus IMHO, lobster is something that has to be made fresh and served immediately. If you don't do that, and it sits on the buffet table, the lobster will become rubbery like a super ball.

This last trip (1/2005) my DH was determined that another Lobster feast was in order. He visited Boston Lobster Feast located on SR 192. That was the place we decided between last time, plus they have the cool lobster VW bug. How could a place w/ a car-lobster be bad. DH walked in, checked out the buffet, and we immediately walked back out. He stated it was worse than Angel's. He was SO sad.

We did check out The Crab House (you can see it from I-4) located off of Bueua Vista then onto Lake Rd. We would have ate there as it seemed SO incredicable nice. But no lobsters and all the seafood was on ice, even the snow crab legs. We really would want to eat here. Also, they do not have a kid's price on the buffet, but do offer a kid's menu. And they do not serve lunch, only dinner starting at 4pm.

We also checked out Joe's Crab Shack. DH went in and liked that place too, but we never got there to eat either.

Denise

 

[vfb2girls]

We ate at Joe's Crab Shack on our last trip to Orlando and it was great! It was by far the best meal we had during our whole vacation, and we had most of our meals at Disney. We didn't have lobster but the shrimp was great and the bananas foster was even better, plus it was a fun atmosphere, we are going back on our next trip to Orlando.

 

[jdm]

We made the decision to stop searching for a good lobster feast on our trips to Florida! It's not there!! We went to Angel's one year, just OK. Went to Boston Lobster fest, so-so. We went to some local joint, I can't remember the name, but it was horrible, filthy and we left 10 minutes after we were seated. The buffet looked worst than the Circus Circus buffets in Vegas. Then we ended up at another local place where we did eat (looked clean) but food was terrible.

The lobsters at these places taste tough and chewy. They use a margarine blend instead of drawn butter and IMO, it's awful. Dh is from Boston and I from RI and I think we keep trying to duplicate the seafood we were raised on (live in the Northwest now- no lobster, just king crab ) and you just have to go back to New England to find it!!

We tried Joe's Crab Shack and out of 6 of us, no one was crazy about their meal. They were extremely busy, service was very rushed and food took forever. I think we're just spoiled.

Jenn

 

[Immelman]

you're not going to find a good lobster buffet in orlando. lobster isn't meant to sit on a stem table. the lobsters we catch in the Keys are spiny lobsters, nothing like Maine lobsters. we're surrounded by water and have great fresh seafood, but you're not going to find it in the touristy restaurants. try our stone crab claws.

 

[2angelsinheaven]

We did the Boston Lobster last night and it was pretty good. Not exceptional, but good. Our lobster was good, the stone crabs were very good and the steak was great. Soup was good too. For $24 it was not bad... considering you pay about that for one or two tails at Red Lobster.

 

[safetymom]

Boston Lobster was good. It's not the same as eating the fresh ones that just came in on the boat in MA. but for the price you got your fill of lobster and other items. We go every couple of months.

 

[Tink's little fan]

the lobsters we catch in the Keys are spiny lobsters, nothing like Maine lobsters. we're surrounded by water and have great fresh seafood, but you're not going to find it in the touristy restaurants. try our stone crab claws.

So, where do you do? We are willing to drive an hour or two for FRESH FL seafood, but where is it? We looked in the yellow pages and found nothing. My DH was desperate on our last visit to fing GOOD fresh seafood.

SO please let us know of a place we can go.

 

[Donnask8pro]

Clams were awesome and all you can eat at the Cape May buffet in Disney. At the Harbor Hotel I think, behind Epcot

 

[phlufster]

So, where do you do? We are willing to drive an hour or two for FRESH FL seafood, but where is it? We looked in the yellow pages and found nothing. My DH was desperate on our last visit to fing GOOD fresh seafood.

SO please let us know of a place we can go.

You could try Rusty's in Cocoa. It is about an hour from the parks and it is a straight shot on 528. The best way to describe the restaurant is "hooters by the ocean." The fish is fresh adn the view is awesome. We've watched the Disney cruise ships sail out there many times.

Jocelyn

 

[Ted and Holly]

I agree, 192 is definitely NOT the place to get good seafood. A decent place is the Celebration Town Tavern in Celebration. It is owned by a family from Massachusetts that runs a restaurant up there. They ship in all sorts of New England seafood (including Maine lobster). It is good, but it is still shipped in.

You will definitely have to go to the coast for real fresh seafood.

Local seafood includes:

spiney(rock) lobster, where you only eat the tail.
Key's pink shrimp
Gulf shrimp
Atlantic "brown" shrimp
stone crabs
most grouper
some snapper
some mahi (dolphin)
some tuna
some flounder
snook
pompano
gator

NOT Florida seafood:
Maine lobtser
tiger shrimp

I have had good grouper sandwiches at the Hurricane at Pass-A-Grill, St. Pete Beach as well as Cha Cha at the top of "The Pier" in St. Pete. Also Sharkey's at the Venice Pier.

Those are pretty far away from WDW though.

Ted

 

[iloveokw]

It is a bit of a drive, but the rock shrimp at Dixie Crossroads is better than lobster and worth the drive - especially if you are visiting Titusville or the ocean.

 

[agnes!]

Dixie Crossroads has always been one of our favorites. They have an all-you-can-eat rock shrimp menu option..yummmmm. One evening, my DH had about 100 of the rock shrimp! We haven't made it over there for a while, so don't know what the prices are like now. I think that it takes a little over an hour(maybe) to get to Titusville from the Orlando area.
There's a lot to do over there, too...you're fairly close to Kennedy Space Center/Cape Canaveral, the beaches(Daytona, the original Ron-Jon, etc), the Cape Canaveral National Seahore Refuge(I think that's the name). It makes for a pleasant day trip if you're looking for a mid-week break from WDW.
I'll never forget the time we were at the refuge, I looked up from our car & I saw a Great Horned Owl sitting in a tree roadside - too cool!!!

agnes!

 

[lisa and john]

Here is the website for Dixie Crossraods that I posted above. There is a menu on there, and the prices don't look too bad. Mmmmm....rock shrimp....
http://www.dixiecrossroads.com/

 

[Lady Cluck]

I have not personally tried it, but have heard good reviews for Shells Seafood. They have fresh Maine Lobster on Tuesdays.

I'm originally from central CA, but living in the Midwest. We used to drive 2 hours to Bodega Bay just for the fresh & shellfish. I can hear the gulls and smell the salt air now!

 

[Wishing on a star]

Man, looking at the menu from Shell's is making my mouth water!

Has anyone eaten there?

 

[safetymom]

The food at Shell's is very good. I have eaten at the one on 192 and in Melbourne.

 

[Immelman]

shell's is good stuff. it's a chain out of tampa. if you want the freshest seafood, you've got to go to a coast.

 

[4disneyfans]

Worth the drive. Very moderately priced and the rock shrimp is wonderful. Taste very muchlike lobster.