With everything it does, Orlando goes big. That’s exactly why thrill seekers and Disney adults flock here by the hundreds each and every day. Whether you live here or are in town for a visit, there’s no point in not taking advantage of the city’s flair for drama, including its restaurants.
Orlando is the perfect place to enjoy some truly over-the-top restaurants and bars when you’re a little tired of our regular old (but amazingly stacked) foodie scene. Here’s 21 of the craziest restaurants in the Orlando area that we should all be enjoying.
Taverna Opa
9101 International Drive, Orlando
Patrons jump up on the tables for a belly dance fest while waiters bring the heat with flaming Greek cheese. But Taverna Opa doesn’t offer up the most authentic Greek experience in Orlando with just their dancing – the hummus is also a menu must-try. Credit: Photo via Taverna Opa/FacebookBetter Than Sex
1905 N. Orange Ave., Orlando
Everything about Better Than Sex is a head-turner: the name, the desserts, the drinks. The Ivanhoe joint is liable to turn just about any dessert item into a suggestive sculpture or dip the rim of any wine glass into the greatest aphrodisiac of all time: chocolate. Credit: Photo via Better Than Sex/FacebookMedieval Times
4510 W. Vine St., Kissimmee
You don’t have to re-watch Game of Thrones to get in the medieval mood. Right here in Orlando we’ve got jousting knights, mass amounts of bourgeois screaming for bloodshed, and the expectation that you’ll eat with your hands. If that last part’s got you twisted, drink away your reluctance with a strawberry Maiden’s Kiss. Credit: Photo via Medieval Times/FacebookMango’s Tropical Cafe
8126 International Drive, Orlando
If South Beach and Vegas had a baby, you’d get Mango’s Tropical Cafe — and it’s right here in Orlando. You’ve got waitresses in feathery costumes and extravagant stage shows keeping the adrenaline pumping. Something crazy and colorful is happening in every corner here. Pro tip: Order the signature banana martini for an especially entertaining evening. Credit: Photo via Mango's Tropical Cafe/FacebookThe Edison
1570 E. Buena Vista Drive, Lake Buena Vista
Disneyphiles have been relishing the post-industrial, steampunk-themed surroundings of the Disney Springs eatery. And also that 28-day dry-aged prime rib. (Don’t-miss dish: the millionaire’s bacon, served on a tiny clothesline) Credit: Photo via The Edison/FacebookCapone’s Dinner and Show
4740 W. Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway, Kissimmee
For the dinner-theater enthusiast looking for a night of glitz and guns, look no further than Capone’s. Guests get to feast on the dinner buffet as Al and the gang let you in on the family business. Credit: Photo via Capone’s Dinner and Show/Facebook
6400 Carrier Drive, Orlando A pirate’s life is for everybody at this themed Orlando eatery. The family-friendly theatrics and cuisine takes place on an 18th-century ship replica. Credit: Photo via Pirates Dinner Adventure/FacebookCafe Tu Tu Tango
8625 International Drive, Orlando
The funky tapas spot offers creative food and drink specials every weekday, plus live music and relaxed patio seating, too. With tons of shareable plates to choose from, signature cocktails and artists who paint while you eat, Cafe Tu Tu Tango garners some well-deserved crowds. Credit: Photo via Café Tu Tu Tango/Facebook
8267 International Drive, Orlando “Guess who?” is the name of the game at Sleuths. In between bites of your four-cheese lasagna, offer up some questions to the characters as you solve the crime. But the greatest puzzle of them all? The Mystery Dessert at the end of every meal. Credit: Photo via Sleuths Mystery Dinner Shows/FacebookJaleo
1482 E. Buena Vista Drive, Orlando
From celeb chef Jose Andres, Jaleo’s extensive menu of traditional and contemporary Spanish fare reflects Spain’s regional diversity. There are four other Jaleos, but the Disney Springs outpost is arguably the best. Credit: Photo via Jaleo/FacebookToothsome Chocolate Emporium and Savory Feast Kitchen
6000 Universal Blvd., Orlando
Not only is Toothsome the perfect place to drown your sorrows in some good old-fashioned chocolatey goodness, there’s also steak, seafood and all-day brunch selections. Stop in for one of Orlando’s sweetest and most savory spots around. Credit: Photo via Toothsome Chocolate Emporium/Yelp
1640 Buena Vista Drive, Orlando This award-winning Irish pub at Orlando’s Disney Springs has long been a go-to for those looking to tap into some good old Irish fun. Raglan Road offers lots of live music and dance, fish and chips, gourmet “Irish burgers,” and perfect pours of Guinness. Credit:Photo via Raglan Road websiteJimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville
6000 Universal Studios Plaza
Those volcano nachos don’t stand a chance against ice cold blackberry moonshine margaritas. When you’re livin’ the Jimmy life, you’re sure to get wasted away in Margaritaville. Credit: Photo via Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville/FacebookT-Rex Cafe
1676 Buena Vista Drive, Orlando
When the lights start flashing, it’s showtime. Get ready to witness the extinction of the dinosaurs about five times throughout your dinner, courtesy of Disney Studios. If extinction has got you down, pick yourself up with a Cotton-tini, which is literally just alcohol poured over a huge ball of cotton candy. Credit: Photo via T-Rex Cafe/Facebook
1560 E. Buena Vista Drive, Lake Buena Vista Disney created the fictional Enzo’s as an underground, Prohibition-era, rum-running tunnel, which the no-last-name bootlegger Enzo happened upon one day and duly transformed into a subterranean grotto for hungry drunks. Even if you don’t choose to suspend disbelief in the backstory, it’s a sprawling warren of secret tunnels in which to get lost, as well as to find some damn good drinks. Credit: Photo via Enzo’s Hideaway/FacebookJock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar
1486 Buena Vista Drive, Orlando
If you were to catch Indiana Jones knocking back beers anywhere at Disney, it’d be at Jock Lindsey’s. They do have all his stuff hidden around the bar, after all. Jock Lindsey’s knows that all good explorers need some ice cold beverages after a day of walking around under the beating-down sun, so order up and enjoy the adventurous atmosphere. Credit: Photo via Jock Lindsey's Hangar Bar/FacebookThe Boathouse
1620 Buena Vista Drive, Orlando
Dust off your Party City captain’s hat for a night full of oysters and crab legs at Orlando’s Boathouse. You’re sure to find yourself enjoying the evening in a boat-turned-booth here. If you’re not in the mood for food, set sail on Lake Buena Vista in an amphicar, which is exactly what is sounds like: a car that’s also a boat. Credit: Photo via The Boathouse/FacebookSusuru
8548 Palm Parkway, Orlando
Lewis Lin of College Park’s Jade Sushi & New Asian and managing partner Kenny Ly came together to create a “retro-themed izakaya” offering exquisite ramen, yakitori and takoyaki. Inspired by Showa-era style, this Japanese gastropub stays open until as late as midnight on the weekends to satisfy your slurping needs, both noodle and boozy. Credit: Photo via Susuru/FacebookBob Marley – A Tribute to Freedom
6000 Universal Blvd., Orlando
Designed as an exact replica of Bob Marley’s Kingston, Jamaica, home, this place will have your inner freedom ringing in no time. Credit: Photo via universalorlando.comThe H Cuisine
7512 Dr. Phillips Blvd., Orlando
This sister resto to the Haci Steakhouse in Kayseri, Turkey, offers bone-in rib-eye, aged for 28 days, though interesting cuts like lokum and Robespierre are available as well. An illuminated dry-aging chamber adds a nice ambient touch to the interior. Credit: Photo via H Cuisine/Facebook
7324 International Drive, Orlando You don’t have to pay first-class prices to live a life of Titanic luxury. (Well, you know, before the fatal sinking.) Characters donning the fanciest of costumes engage you with tales of their past and of the great ship that you’re on while you dine as an honored guest for the evening. Credit: Photo via Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition/FacebookHard Rock Cafe
6050 Universal Blvd., Orlando
Surround yourself with some of the greatest moments in music history at the Hard Rock Cafe. Grab some hearty American eats (the burgers are classic) and soak up the music history surrounding you. What could possibly be more rock & roll than a pink muscle car dangling where a chandelier should? Credit: Photo via Hard Rock Cafe Orlando/Yelp
