Restaurants

The Wildside is a local Steak and BBQ place nearby.  The food is good (maybe not great), BUT it is not a chain, it is very casual, it is moderately priced, and it is VERY CLOSE to our villas.  Best of all, we have NEVER had to wait long (if at all) to get a table at this place!  I like their BBQ better than their steaks for the price.

This is a surprise find, because it looks like an Asian fast-food restaurant from the outside.  I only went in because it was rated well on TripAdvisor.  What a pleasant surprise!  The inside is very nice this place has a wonderfully different menu with Vietnamese and Korean dishes to go along with the more typical Japanese and Chinese dishes.  My father’s favorite dish is their Bibimbap.  He insists on going here every time we are in the area, and he always gets the Bibimbap!  If you don’t see it on the menu, ask for it!

This is a fast-food chain located in Florida, Texas and Georgia.  They serve a Caribbean inspired menu revolving mostly around chicken (but also some pork).  This is one of my favorite fast-food places in the area.  The main dishes are good, the sides are good, and the sauces are great!  Try this place if you want a fast, cheap alternative to the typical fast food.  I would rate the quality higher, but they could do a better job keeping the places clean.  My two favorite sauces (on the self-serve sauce bar) are the Curry Mustard and the Cilantro Garlic.

I really wanted to hate this place, because it is a chain and as touristy as you get, but the food is good, the music is great, and the prices are fair.  The appetizers, drinks and desserts seem to be a bit pricier, but the entrees are very reasonable.  They also have lots of outdoor seating options.  This is the first restaurant to open in the Margaritaville development, and as you might expect, it gets very crowded on weekends and evenings.  The Jalapeno Poppers are their signature appetizer.  They are home-made in the restaurant and are the BEST I have ever had! 

Miller's Ale House is a local's favorite because it has good drink specials and good food specials.  The food is typical Sport's Bar fare, and they have lots of TVs with all the games on.  The place is huge so there is rarely a long wait to be seated.  They also have an outdoor bar and seating area where smoking is allowed.  The bucket and pitcher specials are very popular for drinks as they run all-day, every day.  My favorite food special is Prime Rib Thursdays, but my favorite menu item is the Pork Osso Bucco.  Kids also eat free on Tuesdays!

Flippers is a local pizza restaurant chain, which is favorite among my family and friends.  They have a dining room and also do takeout and delivery.  They have a nice selection of specialty pizzas, and the hoagies, wings and meatballs are all very good.  The portions are a little smaller and prices a little higher for a pizzeria, but they have quality food, and it is one of the best in the area, IMHO.  In fact, it is one of only two places we ever get pizza in the area!

This is my favorite fast-food chain in the area.  You may have Culver’s near you as there are hundreds of them throughout the country, but none in Pennsylvania where we are from!  They have quality cooked to order food (worth the short wait and brought to your table).  They specialize in “butter burgers” but have such a large menu, it can be overwhelming the first time there.  They have such diverse selections as pot roast and pork chop sandwiches and meals.  The other thing they specialize in is frozen custard.  They always have a few standard flavors and also a feature a different flavor of the day every day of the week!  Delicious!  I should note that there is now a Freddy's in the International Drive area, and there is strong debate within my family as to who has the better burger!

This is a nice little spot for Columbian and Venezuelan food as well as baked goods and desserts.  They have a great selection of breakfast, lunch and dinner menu items as well as a full bakery case full of sweet treats and breads.  I believe all baked goods are made onsite.  I have had breakfast and lunch here, but never dinner.  Mostly I go there for pastries!  They also have a nice selection of juices and coffee.  Beware though, that many reviewers complain about their standard service charge (15% last time I was there) that applies to ALL purchases (even take-out).  I don't mind as I like to support local and unique businesses and their employees.

This is my favorite Indian restaurant in the area.  The décor is a bit more upscale than most Indian restaurants and the prices are a bit higher, but the food is usually very good.  Ataj has some selections you don’t normally see in Indian restaurants such as Tandoori Lamb Chops.  They also have a better wine selection than most Indian restaurants.  There is a lunch buffet daily from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM, but sadly I did not get to try the buffet yet.  The last time I was here with my family, the service was a bit slower and the quality not quite up to usual, but I would still go back in the hopes that it was a fluke.  While this may not be a great Indian restaurant, it is the best one I have visited in the area so far.  One final note, the website I have listed is correct, but it does not seem to be working at this time, but they are still open!

This is my new favorite place to eat lunch in the area!  It is inexpensive, has a huge selection which changes daily and is great quality!  The restaurant is small and has a long buffet style selection of Latin cuisine meats and sides.  It should be noted that it is NOT an all you can eat buffet and is NOT a self-serve buffet.  The most common order is the one meat selection with choice of rice and choice of beans for typically under $10 (some meats vary a bit in price).  There are generally about 8 to 10 meats to choose from and maybe another 8 to 10 sides.  The portions are also quite generous for the small price!  Ordering a bunch of extra sides (as I sometimes do) can raise your bill a bit.  EVERYTHING I have ever had here was excellent!  I can't pick a favorite meat, but favorite side has to be the Avocado Salad.  It should be noted that their website seems to have a certificate issue which may prompt your browser to issue a warning, but it seems to be safe to me and all online ordering is redirected to a third-party site like Uber Eats anyway.  Also, they do not have a menu on their website, so no real need to visit it anyway!