I’m going to Florida tonight!!! My first vacation in 5 years. We are going to my boyfriend’s adopted home town (he’s originally from Ohio.) Daytona Beach! For race weekend. It’ll be a blast, even though we aren’t going to the race.
Any Dopers from Daytona Beach? Or been there? Tell me your wild stories.
And I don’t have to be back to work until July 10th. 
Used to live there, but have no really wild stories. I can offer you some advice on decent places to eat though, if you’re interested.
Please do!
Okey Dokey:
**Mexican: **
Maria Bonitas 1435 S Ridgewood Avenue
Great food, decent prices, margaritas kick ass
If you want to drive to Deland (20 minutes):
El Rancho Mexicano
1564 N. Woodland Blvd. (Food Lion shopping center), DeLand
Excellent prices and the food is the best Mexican in the area. WELL worth the trip. The wet burrito is huge, more than a meal. If you see Alex, tell him Mark from the county says hi.
Seafood:
Aunt Catfish’s
4009 Halifax Drive, Port Orange
My wife says this place has the best seafood in Daytona. I don’t east seafood, but can say that the BBQ Ribs are very tasty. Reasonable prices.
Sweetwaters, 3633 Halifax Drive, Port Orange
Decent but not exceptional food, pricey, mainly the atmosphere is good. Though they’re a seafood restaurant, my wife tended to order other things because the seafood isn’t great. Most of the chicken dishes are good though.
Italian:
Never really found a decent one. Bucca Di Beppos is okay (International Speedway), also Carabba’s (ISB again).
Riccardo’s on Glenview Ave in Daytona is okay as well, but not phenomenal.
Wings and that kind of stuff:
Booth’s Bowery, Daytona Beach. Good food, decent prices, wings are really good and come in something like 10 flavors and temps.
Chinese/Sushi:
Chi Ling, 4085 South Ridgewood Ave, Port Orange
Excellent sushi (according to wife) and great Chinese and japanese entrees. The owners used to live across the street from me. Reasonalbe prices.
If you want a buffet hit Peking Garden on Nova Road in Daytona.
Mongolian BBQ hit Song Mongolian on Beach street in Daytona. Upscale, and pricy, but very good.
Prime Rib:
And only if you want Prime Rib. The seafood bites, as do most of the entrees. Martins at 2000 S Oceanshore Blvd. in Flagler beach.
Places people will recommend but that I wouldn’t ever go back to:
Any of the restaurants in the Harbor Inlet/Ponce Inlet area. Tourist traps, really, mediocre food, shoddy service, expensive.
Top of Daytona. Totally mediocre food and service. Bills itself as a Russian American restaurant, but most of the food tasted like packaged/instant stuff.
Hope this helps. Go to El Rancho Mexicano if you do nothing else.
Say hello to my parents… They live in the Mediterranean condos on North Atlantic Ave.