Where do the locals eat?

[siugoalie78]

We asked a local for a recommendation one trip - for a reasonably priced, close to Disney, family friendly restaurant - and we discovered the Orlando Ale House. It's a tradition for us on every trip to Orlando.

I have to second this one. We don't live in Orlando, but have some friends who live there. Every time we meet up with them, this is where we go. Haven't had any food there we didn't love, plus on weeknights the drink specials are really good.

 

[GlennandAnn]

We're not locals, but go to Orlando a couple times a year and stay off property. We like Kissimmee Steak Company on Highway 192, and a deli called Too Jay's which is in Orlando on Sand Lake Road. We always go to these 2 places when we're in town.

Ann

 

[Antonia]

ummmmmmm!!!!!!!!!! Waffle House

I do love those hash browns - scattered , smothered and covered!

Really do appreciate all these replies.

 

[G8RFAN]

At the Florida Mall

Buca di Beppo
Panera Bread (lunch)
Carrabba's

I too used to go to Orlando for business every couple of months for a day or two and there's a lot of good restaurants in downtown Orlando/Church Street that range from informal to sophisticated. I don't know if you want ot drive that far tho.

 

[Rantybaby]

these are the non-Disney places we like...but they might not be where you want to go...
LUA LOA, soul food - Downtown on the outskirts of Parramore (the Hood)
Maria Bonita - on E Colonial 30minutes to 45 minutes from WDW- really good Mexican with musicians who travel table to table on Friday and Saturday nights.
The Melting Pot, mentioned previously.
CeCi's Pizza, a chain pizza buffet with lots of locations in Orlando, less than $5 per person, our favorite broke people's nite out!

Ok Staceyshearrion,

What kind of soul food are we talking? And who's 'hood?

 

[TLHB70]

The latter is a carribean/hispanic fast food chain with great grilled chicken (healthy AND good!) and plantains, yucca, etc etc. I love to get the pork Tropichop....Darn! I'm making myself hungry thinking about it,

Ummm. We are going to have to try this one. We lived in Venezuela for about a year and got quite hooked on yucca! I really miss it!!!!!!!!! Do you happen to know if they have arepas? I miss those, too. I miss empanadas also, but I can find those in some Mexican restaurants. I have not been able to find arepas or yucca at any other restaurants, though. This restaurant will be a treat! Thank you so much for mentioning it!!!!


I want to hit Don Pablo's next week too. I saw on their web site that there is one on International Drive. Does anyone know how close to AS Music that would be?? I think we may hit there for supper before going to our hotel on Saturday. I just hope that it is close.

 

[momof3littlelilos]

American soul food - Chit'lings, homemade mac & cheese, greens, sweet potatoes - the usual suspects...The 'Hood would be tha land of the brothers...(I think Parramore is a higher crime area than say, Eatonville, which is the community Zora Neale Hurston came from, the last reamaining community founded by freed slaves. Tourists might not feel safe in Parramore after dark. Whereas I don't feel unsafe in Eatonville, even after dark.)
My husband likes chit'lings, I won't cook 'em, this is where he can get 'em...

 

[GalDisney]

I<< know WDW is for kids>>
WDW is for everyone, not just kids..

 

[jerbroni]

....to the already comprehensive list:

Timpano's Italian Chophouse. It's on Sand Lake Rd across from the Melting Pot.

 

[llqool]

Ummm. We are going to have to try this one. We lived in Venezuela for about a year and got quite hooked on yucca! I really miss it!!!!!!!!! Do you happen to know if they have arepas?

they have yucca fries and plantains but as far as I know, no arepas (i like arepas, too!). they also have black beans and rice. the tropichop that i mentioned is a big bowl of meat (their chicken or pork -- don't know if they have beef, cuz i don't eat it) with black beans and rice. and this is at a FAST FOOD place, so it's cheap! i'm just sorry the chain is not further north (we live in GA).

 

[TLHB70]

they have yucca fries and plantains but as far as I know, no arepas (i like arepas, too!). they also have black beans and rice. the tropichop that i mentioned is a big bowl of meat (their chicken or pork -- don't know if they have beef, cuz i don't eat it) with black beans and rice. and this is at a FAST FOOD place, so it's cheap! i'm just sorry the chain is not further north (we live in GA).

YUMMY! Yucca fries are my favorite!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We will definitely have to try this place next week!!!!!!

 

[CPM]

ummmmmmm!!!!!!!!!! Waffle House

I do love those hash browns - scattered , smothered and covered!

Really do appreciate all these replies.

when you asked for suggestions, were you really looking for somewhere like the Waffle House? Just curious <G>.

 

[CPM]

YUMMY! Yucca fries are my favorite!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We will definitely have to try this place next week!!!!!!

http://www.pollotropical.com/html/pollotropical.htm

 

[llqool]

thanks for the link! the weird thing is if you try to google pollo tropical and get at their website that way, their webpages are almost all down. Carrols Corporation, which owns Pollo Tropical, also owns a *great* regional fast food chain in TX called Taco Cabana. can't get to any of their stuff, either!

 

[otownguy]

Some of our local favorites:

Bostons fish house (Orlando and New Smyrna Beach)
Taquitos Jalisco (Authentic mexican, not TexMex)
Pebbles Grille (Crossroads across from LBV)
Houston's (Steak house in winter Park)
Timpano (Sand Lake road)
Emerils and Margaritaville at CityWalk
Dixe Crossroads (I-drive and original in Titusville)
TooJays (Sand Lake Road)
Brio (Millenia Mall)
Kobe Japanese steak house (much better than Teppanyaki)
The Crabhouse
Lee & Rick's oyster bar
Cariera's italian (Dr. Phillips, www.carieras.com)
Habana Grill (cuban in Winter park)
Fiddlers Green (Irish)

These are just a few off the top of my head. I have lived in Orlando for over 30 years.

 

[CarolB]

Don't live in Orlando, but -
We did eat at Kobe's Japanese Steakhouse and the whole family liked it alot. And, I hear from family in the area that Bone Fish Grill (on Sandy Lake Road) is very good, as well.

 

[i<3Disney]

We actually eat at Disney a lot! haha

We really like Ming Court on I-Drive or Seasons 52 (there are 2 locations I believe). I also like a few chain places like Cheesecake Factory, Mimi's Cafe, and PF Chang's. There is a street in Winter Park called Park Ave that has a lot of sidewalk cafes and restaurants that we go to sometimes.

 

[i<3Disney]

I don't live in Orlando, but travel there frequently for a variety of reasons, and I definately think that the Universal Hotel restaurants often get overlooked, along with the City Walk restaurants. If you have transportation (rental car) and are staying at Disney, I think it is worth a trip if you are looking for something new. We stayed for 8 days in April in Universal for the first time and really enjoyed a lot of the restaruants there:

Royal Pacific restaruants
Emeril's Tchoup Chop
The Kitchen and poolside food at Hard Rock Hotel
Portofino Bay rests.
Hard Rock Cafe
NBA City
Margaritaville
Emeril's Orlando

Yes! I love this restaurants at the Portofino..Mama Della's and Bice. There is also a pizza place next door when you can get a pizza and eat outside. It's great

 

[TLHB70]

http://www.pollotropical.com/html/pollotropical.htm

Thanks for this link.
I had never heard of this restaurant before this thread.

 

[Antonia]

Quote:
Originally Posted by CPM
when you asked for suggestions, were you really looking for somewhere like the Waffle House? Just curious <G>.


Absolutely! Actually, I can eat at Waffle House here at home. Was actually hoping to find places that are not necessarily chain restaurants and local to the Orlando area. And that are very good!