Offsite eating out top 5s

[winniepie81]

Based on our last trip in may our fave meals offsite were:

1. Outback Steakhouse LBV
2. Cheesecake Factory mall at millenia
3. Chilis LBV
4. Sweet tomatoes @ crossroads cheap and quick excellent before or after a park!
5. Hooters @ pointe orlando tacky but Fun!

 

[Minniesgal]

We love the Perkins Pancake place at the crossroads, I love bahama breeze and we all love margaritaville, my kids love Smokey Bones. We haven't tried Cheesecake Factory yet but will remedy this next week.

 

[zippy99]

When we do our 10 nights at Wilderness lodge we will be taking advantage of the DDP, however, when we hop over to Universal and stay at the Royal Pacific we are looking to try some off the offsite eateries.

Can anyone highlight/recommend restaurants that are close to universal please. I looked at Texas Roadhouse having seen the comments but it seems a bit further out and I am not sure I want to drive that far just for a meal - at the same time I don't want to spend a fortune eating in City Walk every night - although... we could always live off the mega Nachos at Bula's at RPR $10 and the plate is HUGE!

 

[wilma-bride]

Zoe, Chili's at the top end of I-Drive is great. Also, 4Rivers Smokehouse is not too far a drive from Universal. Friendly's, a favourite of ours, is towards the southern end of I-Drive.

 

[dixonsontour]

bubbalous bodacious bbq also has a place near universal - not fancy but food was good

we liked margaritaville at citiwalk and I didn't think price was bad

 

[luke]

Having been introduced to it by Wayne at Easter, I'll definitely be returning to the Orlando Ale House in LBV

 

[Shocking Hocking]

Like you say, it is very subjective, really depends on your taste.

Our own personal experience is that Mannys and Texas Roadhouse are on a par (with Mannys being more of a drive from WDW/Orlando) with Logan's being slightly (not massively) sub-par, in terms of service and quality of food.

Hi , sorry to butt in but I'm a newbie and just wondered what sort of food they do at Mannys and whereabouts it is ? And what your favourite dish is there . We are going in October and not on the dining plan . I have done some ADR but we are out of WDW doing other parks on other days so looking for nice places to eat . Any help will be grateful .

 

[wilma-bride]

Hi , sorry to butt in but I'm a newbie and just wondered what sort of food they do at Mannys and whereabouts it is ? And what your favourite dish is there . We are going in October and not on the dining plan . I have done some ADR but we are out of WDW doing other parks on other days so looking for nice places to eat . Any help will be grateful .

Hi, Mannys is a Chop House so their main fare is steaks and other cuts of meat/ribs etc. They also provide free freshly baked warm yeast rolls and a salad tossed table side with all meals. It is a little bit out of the way in Haines City but if you're driving, it's an easy drive from WDW (about 30 minutes) down the US27 and well worth the trip. If you have plans to go to Busch Gardens, it is on the way back - we quite often coincide a trip to Mannys with a Busch Gardens day.

Link to the website here

I have had lovely rib eye steaks there but my favourite is probably the boneless pork chops - they are to die for - and the loaded baked potato.

Some pictures:

 

[Shocking Hocking]

Hi, Mannys is a Chop House so their main fare is steaks and other cuts of meat/ribs etc. They also provide free freshly baked warm yeast rolls and a salad tossed table side with all meals. It is a little bit out of the way in Haines City but if you're driving, it's an easy drive from WDW (about 30 minutes) down the US27 and well worth the trip. If you have plans to go to Busch Gardens, it is on the way back - we quite often coincide a trip to Mannys with a Busch Gardens day.

Link to the website here

I have had lovely rib eye steaks there but my favourite is probably the boneless pork chops - they are to die for - and the loaded baked potato.

Some pictures:

http://s21.photobucket.com/user/wilma-bride/media/Florida Aug 2010/DSCF6288.jpg.html

http://s21.photobucket.com/user/wilma-bride/media/Florida Aug 2010/DSCF6290.jpg.html

http://s21.photobucket.com/user/wilma-bride/media/Florida Aug 2010/DSCF6291.jpg.html

Thank you , You really are a great help to everyone on here . I can't wait till we go for our first trip of hopefully many . Do you have a favourite fish restaurant ? Thank you for the links ect . You should have your own website it would be great !! : ))

 

[Trevski220]

Mine in order

Tony Roma's
Texas De Brazil
Mannys chophouse
Fogo de chau
Longhorn steakhouse

 

[wilma-bride]

Thank you , You really are a great help to everyone on here . I can't wait till we go for our first trip of hopefully many . Do you have a favourite fish restaurant ? Thank you for the links ect . You should have your own website it would be great !! : ))

Thank you, unfortunately our family are not fans of fish and seafood but I have heard great things about both Bonefish Grill and Moonfish. Both are on Sand Lake Road, Orlando, I believe. Feel free to start a new thread if you'd like to ask for some more suggestions

 

[juliebro]

Well worth calling ahead to Mannys and getting put on the wait list if you are planning to eat there.

Yes. Good point. We almost always do this, but have found on some occasions it makes little or no difference. Can depend on the person on the desk on the night, maybe.

 

[juliebro]

bubbalous bodacious bbq also has a place near universal - not fancy but food was good

we liked margaritaville at citiwalk and I didn't think price was bad

We really enjoyed Bubbalous too. as you say, not fancy, but good fresh bbq food at excellent prices.

 

[juliebro]

Hi , sorry to butt in but I'm a newbie and just wondered what sort of food they do at Mannys and whereabouts it is ? And what your favourite dish is there . We are going in October and not on the dining plan . I have done some ADR but we are out of WDW doing other parks on other days so looking for nice places to eat . Any help will be grateful .

We love the sirloin steaks, with the baked sweet potato and soured cream (with the endless salad bowl and rolls too!).

And how could I forget the 2 for 1 house Magararitas at Happy Hour?!!!!

 

[london75]

I'll update the main list tonight but if there are any that require booking that might be worth a special mention.

I was planning on printing a one page menu for each and leaving it in the hire car so we are more likely to just fancy a particular type of food and peruse the menu on the way there. Might make it into an app for the phone if i get time.

 

[frankieeyre]

My top 5:

1. Maggiano's - I Drive (Order Rigatoni D, best pasta in the entire world)
2. Bahama Breeze
3. Bubba Gump
4. Outback Steakhouse
5. TGI Fridays

 

[Rainforest]

wilma-bride - thanks for your suggestions. It's either going to be Longhorn or Manny's (with call ahead seating!) for ours steaks.

shocking-hocking - we are also staying off-site (at Lindfields on US 192). Food options we have lined up are Longhorn or Manny's (for steaks), Sweet Tomatoes (veg food, mostly, I believe), Red Lobster (seafood), Millers Ale House (various specials, varies each day), IHOP (breakfast); all these places are nearby on the 192. We also have WDW ADRs for The Wave, Captain's Grille, and Trails End for buffet breakfasts and/or dinners. No BOG reservation for dinner yet, though! I decided on all these options by reading posts on the UK and Restaurant forums on DIS-Boards.

And I second shocking-hocking's thanks for wilma-bride - you certainly have been a great help!

 

[Shocking Hocking]

Thank you, unfortunately our family are not fans of fish and seafood but I have heard great things about both Bonefish Grill and Moonfish. Both are on Sand Lake Road, Orlando, I believe. Feel free to start a new thread if you'd like to ask for some more suggestions

Brilliant , thanks again . Yes a new thread might be a good idea . : )

 

[bobbins]

Yes. Good point. We almost always do this, but have found on some occasions it makes little or no difference. Can depend on the person on the desk on the night, maybe.

I said I wouldn't go to Manny's again after we called ahead but still waited so long and they were clearly seating locals ahead of us - which I don't mind to a certain extent, but it became ridiculous.

However last year my wife promised we'd take some friends and the call-ahead seating worked fine.

It's best to get there as early as possible though (ie before 6PM) and apparently Wednesdays (free fajitas) are especially busy.

 

[wilma-bride]

We never seem to manage dessert, though, as we are always far too full. I adore their bone in rib-eye