Favorite Off-Site restaurants?

[darnheather]

Will have a car and don't want to eat in the park all the time. What are your favorite off-site restaurants? We like to eat anything but have a tight budget and don't want to end up eating at McDonalds because we are tired and can't find anything.

 

[damo]

I've listed some at the bottom of the first post in the food sticky.

 

[darnheather]

Toojay's is now totally on the list as is one of the BBQ joints. Thanks so much. I'm worried about Valentine's night as it can be difficult to get a seat anywhere so we'll probably do fast food Chinese or Mexican that night.

 

[pcstang]

I much prefer bubbalous over 4 rivers for BBQ and it's right up the street from universal.

 

[TommyJK]

For those that are very budget conscious (like myself) we always go to CiCi's pizza buffet at least once. All you can eat Pizza, salad and pasta for under $10 per person. Even cheaper if you get the groupon for it ($16 for 4 people).

It is by no means a "classy" place, but the variety of pizza they have for a buffet is quite good and you cannot beat the price.

 

[lullwater]

Sweet Tomatoes is a healthy inexpensive restaurant; more of an expanded salad bar type place with soups and hot breads.

 

[twocat]

If you're looking for something a bit more high end, there are 2 strip shopping centers nearby that had an Ocean Prime, Ruth's Chris and an Eddie V's there and you can't go wrong there.

In the same 2 centers (across the street from each other) there was a Tijuana Flats (good quick service, FL local, inexpensive Mexican), a Publix and several other restaurants.

There's also a higher end Mexican restaurant there, too (think $14 table side guacamole) Rocco's Tacos. I ate there and it was...okay. I ordered a variety of tacos. The waitress came by while I was spitting out an enormous chunk of fat from my pork taco. She left me to spit it out and came back and asked if she could replace my taco. I appreciated her consideration in walking away while I was spitting out this inedible piece of fat and she was very apologetic. That being said, I don't know that I would be back. Their menu is online.

 

[Squirlz]

We used Uber eats last night and had food from Border Grill. Very good Mexican food!

 

[wookiebeck]

We tried Teak Neighborhood Grill last year for the first time on recommendations from this forum. It was quite impressive. Google it, read the reviews and look at menu to see if it is to your liking. Have fun!

 

[bumbershoot]

Yardhouse and BJs are home faves. Not totally budget but we like them. More budgety is sweet tomatoes.

 

[Parker Clan]

Our favorite by far is Buca di beppo in the mall on Orange Blossom Road. Great Italian food, served family style

 

[bumbershoot]

With Buca, it's important to look on the tables near you to really understand that the servings are huge and meant to be shared. And that their sizes feed more than their estimates, if you're not much of a big eater. We went to one with a group of Europeans and they wouldn't listen to us and ordered the bigger platters. Fed 6 of us for days (would have been longer in our household but we have a 12 year old who eats constantly).

 

[TheConsciousness]

With Buca, it's important to look on the tables near you to really understand that the servings are huge and meant to be shared. And that their sizes feed more than their estimates, if you're not much of a big eater. We went to one with a group of Europeans and they wouldn't listen to us and ordered the bigger platters. Fed 6 of us for days (would have been longer in our household but we have a 12 year old who eats constantly).

Very true! If anyone is wondering what Bucca's family style looks like: here is a pretty good example. I was pretty confused the first time we went.

 

[kohlby]

We really like Sweet Tomatoes. Sign up for their email list as they send out some great coupons. Another place we like is Boston Market. It's even cheaper than Sweet Tomatoes for our family.

 

[Metro West]

We tried Teak Neighborhood Grill last year for the first time on recommendations from this forum. It was quite impressive. Google it, read the reviews and look at menu to see if it is to your liking. Have fun!

Teak is good...there is another restaurant in Ocoee called RusTeak which is owned by the same people. Everything is very good and there is a wine bar inside if you like wine.

 

[darnheather]

Sweet Tomatoes is a healthy inexpensive restaurant; more of an expanded salad bar type place with soups and hot breads.

This sounds really good. Will add it to our list.

Thank you all for the recommendations.

 

[Alicefan]

Sweet Tomatoes is a healthy inexpensive restaurant; more of an expanded salad bar type place with soups and hot breads.

I second this choice! It's a must do for my family on every trip. I make it a point to go off property at least one day to hit this place. My favorite all time casual restaurant and they are primarily in FL and CA. Nothing close to me.