Themed restaurants?

[wendydis]

hi
was just wondering which are the best themed restaurants to go to in orlando? we have done Rainforest and Planet Hollywood in Paris are they the same or completely different? also have read about Jungle Jims where is it and is it good??
Wendy

 

[Stitch's Greatest Fa]

Hello, although I have not been to those restaurants in Paris, I have been to both in Florida and they are really good. Can't say which is my fave because they are both great - give 'em a go!!

 

[wendydis]

thanks for the info
Wendy

 

[signtalker]

IMHO jungle jims is just a glorified burger joint nothing special.

Race rock on Idrive is pretty good.
Planet Hollywood, and rainforest very good.

 

[mike230652]

Wendy

Jungle Jim's is certainly more than a glorified burger joint!! It's good fun and on certain days ( usually Sundays ) they bring in young animals for kids to stroke and pet. It's at the Crossroads Mall, worth doing and maybe combining with a round of Crazy Golf at Pirate's Cove ( only 250 yards away. )

Also, consider the B-Line Diner in the Peabody Hotel. Top class food and very authentic surroundings , one of our favourites.
Nascar at Citywalk is good too.

Planet Hollywood is good, but IMHO Rainforest is far too hit and miss on the food side, on a good day it's good, on a bad day it's BAD and always seems to us to be more prone than most to be full of screaming badly behaved kids.

Hey, try them all , it's ya holidays!!

mike

 

[Hilary]

As you've already experienced Rainforest Cafe and Planet Hollywood elsewhere, I'd give them a miss and try something new.

Orlando is full of themed restaurants, but I'm most familiar with the ones inside the parks and resorts. Ones we particularly like include:
(there's quite a range of menus and prices in amongst these, and some are more themed than others)

Sci-Fi Diner - MGM
50's Prime Time - MGM
Whispering Canyon - Wilderness Lodge
Becahes and Cream - Beach Club
San Angel Inn - Epcot
Boma's - Animal Kingdom Lodge
Hard Rock Cafe - Universal Studios


We've also been to Jungle Jim's a few times and really like it there

 

[UKDEB]

Orlando is themed restaurant city and there are plenty of good ones, but Hard Rock Cafe is the original and, for me, still the best.

Race Rock on I-Drive is worth a visit, but we've done it to death now. We like Rainforest Cafe (we usually eat at the one at AK as the other food offerings there are dire, IMO), but it receives mixed reviews - you either love it or hate it. It tends to work out a bit more expensive than the others, but the servings are huge and you could easily share an entree.

Nascar cafe and NBA City at CityWalk are just OK - they lack atmosphere for me. My teenage girls loved Motown Cafe (also at CW), but I've never tried it.

Dan Marino's Town Tavern at Pointe Orlando is quite good, Buca di Beppo at Florida Mall is a themed restaurant and a half (really over the top kitsch), 50s Prime Time at MGM was good fun, but I'm not so keen on the Sci-Fi Dine-In. I agree with Mike about the B-Line Diner, but I'm not sure that I'd necessarily put it in the themed restaurant genre.

Bahama Breeze gets rave reviews (not sure if this is considered a theme restaurant either), but I hated it. Great atmosphere, but far too crowded and mediocre food (and that's being generous).

I could go on and on!

 

[Nick_UK]

I'd say that Planet Hollywood and the Rainforest Cafe are the same in Florida as they are in Paris, with just once difference. Generally speaking I've always found the service better in Florida.

We visited Jungle Jims on our last trip, and we really enjoyed it. I found it to be a more toned down version of the Rainforest Cafe.

Our favourite restaurant though, and I guess you could say it is themed, is 'OHana. Great setting, great food and if you've got kids there's entertainment too.

 

[vernon]

Jungle Jim's is at Crossroads and on I-Drive as well I believe. It's a regular for me, IMHO it's reasonable food at a very good price. The last time we were there they had a "meet and greet" with some tiger cubs, unfortunately we had to rush so we missed them. ( The kids wouldn't have a look in, Jana would have monopolised the kitties LOL).

The Rainforest is pretty good, I prefer the one at AKL, although they like to keep you in the shop a little too long IMHO.

Planet Hollywood I found the food a little better this trip ( I had sworn not to go back after a couple of very average trips) , but I found the music to be too loud as Jana and I were sitting opposite each other but couldn't hear each other.

Jimmy Buffet's at Universal is a fun place to eat, I like Bahama Breeze and Boma's.

 

[Nick_UK]

Originally posted by vernon
Jimmy Buffet's at Universal is a fun place to eat, I like Bahama Breeze and Boma's.

I forgot about Jimmy Buffet's with its volcano. That's a good venue too - Cheeseburger in Paradise

There is also the Whispering Canyon Cafe at Wilderness Lodge. The servers are 'themed' - that's for sure! We really enjoyed it there too, but I guess that some guests could find the interplay with the servers a stressful experience!!

 

[wendydis]

thanks for all the suggestions

 

[SidB]

If you have younger kids, say under 12's, then Prime Time Cafe is magical if you can laugh at yourselves. The kids soon find out how bad their parents table manners are. Dad may end up wearing a bib !

Rainforest Cafe - Not with a bargepole.

Somewhere not mentioned yet is Tu Tu Tango. You get to watch artists, characturists, tarrot card readers, belly dancers, and the day we went the staff were all dressed as superheroes. One of the girls was dressed as Catwoman in a skin tight outfit. PHEWEE.