Help! Restaurants in Orlando?

Cafe Society
1

I will be in Orlando this weekend for a conference at the Orange County convention center near/at Sea World.

I am looking for a place for 3 ppl to have dinner that meets these criteria:

  1. Not a national chain
  2. Not in a hotel
  3. Not at or related to Disney, Sea World, etc
  4. Far enough away from the convention center that it won’t be overrun by other conference-goers
  5. We can have a good meal and cocktails
  6. Meal excluding drinks won’t exceed approx $50 per person
  7. Within a 15 minute cab ride of the convention center - maybe 10 miles or so?

I know next to nothing of the area, and looking on Yelp & Google Maps I am having trouble identifying which restaurants might be Disney-related. I also have an east-coast urban mindset that means everything in the suburbs and planned urban areas looks like a national chain to me, so I need help identifying non-chains.

2

…and would you like to be seated in Shooting, or Non-Shooting, Ma’am?

3

I assume we will just be in “cross-your-fingers-and-hope-for-the-best” section

4

Forgot: Cuisine - we eat just about anything, have adventurous palates and would prefer a meal we can linger over a bit since we haven’t seen each other in a few years. A place that might not rush us out if we want an after dinner drink

5

OK - I decided to rank my criteria in order of importance, from most important to least, since I am not confident any restaurant will meet all of them.

[ol]
[li]Not at or related to Disney, Sea World, etc[/li][li]We can have a good meal and cocktails[/li][li]Not rushed so we can talk & linger a little[/li][li]Meal excluding drinks won’t exceed approx $50 per person[/li][li]Within a 15 minute cab ride of the convention center - maybe 10 miles or so?[/li][li]Not in a hotel[/li][li]Not a national chain[/li][li]Far enough away from the convention center that it won’t be overrun by other conference-goers[/li][/ol]

6

This place is fun. Lots of atmosphere.

7

How about the Benihana’s at the Hilton across from Downtown Disney? :smiley: (Actually, the lounge is pretty relaxed and has decent wine and if you just order simple sushi will be well under $50 for food. Heck, a meal plus sushi will only be around $50 before drinks.)

8

Despite all my snobbery about chain restaurants, I do love Benihana. :smiley:

I’ll put it on the list and see what my companions think.

9

That kept coming up in my searches. Added to the list. Thank you!

10

If it’s on I-drive you can consider it loud/packed to the gills.

When you say “not related to a theme park” are you talking literally or tangentially?

Literally would be eating in a theme park or having a hotel character breakfast or something. But tangentially you could eat at one of the places in CityWalk and you’re at/near Universal, but not necessarily in it.

There you have a sports bar (NBC Grill and Brew) the fun that is Cowfish (half sushi-half burger) and others.

11

The last post in this Chowhound threadmay be of interest, as well as this one.

12

I’ll second this place. One of my favorites. It’s been around since at least the mid 90s. Everything is appetizer portions so everyone gets two or three and shares. Sure it’s on I drive and may be busy but then so is everything within 15 minutes of the convention center.

13

Relocated thread from IMHO to Cafe Society.

14

The Columbia (family-owned since 1905), for Cuban food:

The mother ship is in Tampa, but the Orlando location was an early expansion.

15

Based on the Chowhound thread, we’ve made a reservation at Urbain 40. I was outvoted but I think the place looks good. Thanks everyone!!!

16

Enjoy!

17

Fogo de chao is very close and about the best thing you can ever put in your mouth.

18

Isn’t it a national chain though? They have one in Boston…