A libation-lover’s paradise, this gastropub produces American-style grub and serves up frosty pints of craft beer, more brews from frozen “pour-it-yourself” beer taps, and spirits infused with sweet fruits. The decor incorporates old gas lanterns and Chicago bricks with an array of historic Life magazines. Flatbreads with barbecue chicken and marinated pork and snacks like parmesan-truffle fries and short rib sliders with bacon-onion jam pair well with darker, bold-bodied brews, while the arugula shrimp salad with toasted pecans, cranberries, and goat cheese works with lighter Belgian white beers including Hoegaarden.
The dark mahogany interior and crisp white linens are trademarks of this upscale steakhouse. Begin the evening with the ahi tuna tower or oysters Rockefeller. Entrees include Chicago-style prime bone-in ribeye and Chilean seabass fillet a la nage. For dessert there’s Morton’s Legendary Hot Chocolate Cake or the Upside-Down Apple Pie.
An intimate, elegant lounge and hookah bar located on Las Olas Boulevard.
This snazzy downtown hotspot is routinely packed for lunch and dinner, offering contemporary American dining in a casual-elegant setting. The menu revolves around a wood-burning grill that imparts signature earthy flavor into dishes like grilled artichokes with lemon aioli and grilled grouper with coconut-conch stew and crispy yucca. Meat-lovers will be enchanted by the “forever-braised” short ribs, served with creamy potato risotto, roasted carrots, and crispy shallots.
Sushi has been available on Las Olas for over two decades now, but Thai food is relatively new. Here the menu mixes Japanese and Thai favorites – gyoza and spicy beef salad, miso soup and tom ka kai – and then throws in some twists, like filet mignon green curry. There are over three dozen basic and specialty rolls to choose from.
Perfect for on-the-go professionals who need a quick pick-me-up throughout the day, Java and Jam sits on Las Olas Boulevard and offers a quick way to get your food fix. Their grab-and-go counter contains pastries, overnight oats, granola and more. For those who have time to dine in, all-day breakfast begins at 7 a.m. and lunch at 11 a.m. Menu items include Taco Eggs (white corn tortilla, two sunny-side-up eggs, bacon, avocado, roasted salsa verde, queso fresco and spatch peri-peri sauce), omelets, pancakes, salads, sandwiches and more.
This new Pan-Asian/Latin restaurant features waterfront dining and private dinner gondola cruising. Other notable features include a zen garden, fire globes and a full “freestyle sushi bar.” The restaurant takes the place of Bao Bar + Asian Kitchen but pays homage by keeping some menu favorites. Specialty dishes include lobster guacamole, Chinese sticky ribs and Asian-inspired popcorn given to all guests who want it as a small appetizer.
Come and experience our handcrafted organic cold pressed juices to cleanse, replenish and energize your body from the inside out. Our juices are for every lifestyle, simply grab a juice and go! Experience our elixir, healthy bites and smoothies too at the Las Olas location. SpaJuiceBar is a way of life, we want you to be healthy and energized.
Yet another stylish and sophisticated restaurant has landed on the Boulevard and is right at home with its equally compelling neighbors. Seafood and steak dishes are paired with wines and cocktails. Menu items include South African lobster (two tails broiled, drawn butter), bacon wrapped filets “Oscar” style with king crab (with grilled asparagus and béarnaise) and sides like crab fried rice with mushrooms and scallions.
Friendship Grill is an extension of The Friendship Circle of Fort Lauderdale, a not-for-profit organization that offers training and education for those with developmental disabilities. Menu items include falafel, pita, pizza, wraps, sandwiches and vegan food. The café also serves breakfast.
Former Miami Dolphin Kim Bokamper and partners have opened their latest venture featuring New Orleans-inspired cuisine and vibes. The two-story restaurant with rooftop seating and balcony space is led by executive chef Simon Porter, whose menu blends French, Spanish, West African, Amerindian, German, Italian, Irish and Vietnamese tastes to create the New Orleans-inspired flavor. Menu items include alligator and shrimp jambalaya, fried green tomatoes and Southern confit duck Cobb. Weekly specials include all-you-can eat Saturday crawfish boils and a Sunday jazz brunch.
This extremely popular Las Olas bar and restaurant offers traditional favorites: tamales, chimichangas, enchiladas and of course tacos. Guacamole is prepared table side, and 225 varieties of tequila are waiting to be tasted.
Bright, attractive place doing great justice to both cuisines.
Calzone, panini, wings and – of course – pizza.
A local institution offering breakfast, lunch and dinner all day and night. Try the egg specials or hot cakes for breakfast, catfish fingers for a mid-day snack, and then a burger for dinner. No credit cards accepted, but there is an ATM on-site.
The combinations may be unusual but the end result remains kosher. Specializing in fusing together old-fashioned Jewish-deli favorites and modern flair, this New York-style restaurant offers a delicious twist on traditional flavors. They have awesome plates that are even tastier than they look, like Reuben egg rolls and pastrami burgers. Those are just a couple of the many remixed-deli items pulled out of this establishment’s (top) hat.
Goji Juicery and Kitchen brings flavor without sacrificing health. That means hormone-free chicken or organic fresh produce (no added preservatives) with a side of freshly squeezed juices. The vast menu features dips, soups, acai bowls, energy shots, wraps, smoothies, grain bowls and, of course, salads.
Small, but popular Japanese place.
Chef Dario De Pasquale was born in Battipaglia, Italy, and from a young age developed a love for pizza. Before coming to America he worked as a chef in different parts of Italy including Capaccio, Salerno and along the Amalfi Coast. Menu items at his new locale reflect that experience and include homemade meatballs, capriciosa (tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, salami, ham, mushrooms, artichokes and olives) and gnocchi alla Sorrentina, as well as a full pizza menu.
A lively place to kick back along the New River, the historic Downtowner is a casual bar-restaurant offering live music Thursday and Saturday nights and during Sunday’s blues brunch. This watering hole with a view dishes up wings, burgers, salads, and sandwiches. Specials like Monday’s “rib night” and Tuesday’s “tacos and trivia” attract fun-loving locals aplenty. Wine bottles typically max out at around $30, and there are ample brews available in bottles or on tap.
Having already made a good name for themselves in Coconut Grove, the founders of Bombay Darbar decided to take their talents to Las Olas Boulevard. This Indian restaurant offers authentic cuisine featuring classic staples like lamb, tandoori dishes and naan. And if you want to wash it down with something different, here’s the place if you’ve never tried Indian beer.
Located on the fifth floor pool terrace of the Atlantic Hotel and Spa, SKY Bar offers the same easygoing vibe of the hotel’s restaurant, Coastal. It features a variety of appetizers and entrees, including Bimini coconut shrimp, a local mahi sandwich and a Mediterranean pita pocket. They even serve bananas Foster french toast as part of their brunch on Sundays. In addition, they partnered up with SKYY Vodka to create a specialty drink menu. The bar is open to guests and anyone with a day pass.
Located in the heart of the Drive, Tulio’s Tacos & Tequila Bar brings a vibrant take on Mexican cuisine. The restaurant strives to be a place where friends and family can come together at a casual setting to enjoy top quality south-of-the-border food and handcrafted cocktails – after all, three longtime friends are behind the concept. On the menu, you’ll find the Gringo Burger (house blend of chuck, brisket and short rib served with lettuce, tomato, pickle and fries) and a grouper taco (crispy grouper with purple cabbage, pickled onion, pico de gallo and avocado jalapeño sauce).
Opened in 1969, this is one of the last of the area’s corned beef-and-pastrami lunch places. Order The New Yorker and you’ll get both meats with Swiss cheese and Russian dressing, and a crisp half-sour pickle on the side. There’s also chopped liver, creamed herring, lox and bagels and, for dessert, coffee cake and rugelach.
Large outdoor patio seating with live music and American eats.
The people who brought Warsaw Coffee Company to increasingly cool NE 13th Street have opened a cocktail lounge and cafe in the same building. The clubby sophistication of the well-appointed, wood-paneled space is matched by a menu of breakfast, lunch, dinner and bar bites – as well as the weekend daytime hours’ bottomless brunch. A standout cocktail menu includes treats like the Sailor to Pirate, a rum old-fashioned that transforms into a pina colada served with torched cinnamon sticks.
Seasonal cuisine and an award-winning international wine list make this casual-chic chain at the Galleria a consistent draw for locals and out-of-towners. Nothing on the menu tops 475 calories, kept down either by portion control or careful ingredient selection. Flatbreads are popular, such as spicy chipotle shrimp with grilled pineapple, feta, and roasted poblano chilies, as are vibrant entrees like caramelized sea scallops, wood-fired pork tenderloin, and roasted artichoke-stuffed shrimp. Chef’s tables are available with an amuse bouche and a five-course meal with wine pairings for each course, as is private dining for special, intimate occasions. For dessert, go with guilt-free mini-indulgences – shot glass-sized sweet treats, such as Key lime pie, old-fashioned carrot cake, and chocolate peanut butter mousse.
This upscale casual eatery headed by chef Pablo Salas offers an eclectic, soulful menu that can be enjoyed outdoors with oceanfront views or indoors in an elegant dining room served in an a la carte manner. Located inside the Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort, the chic restaurant also features an outdoor bar and a special tequila tasting room.
Fort Lauderdale’s first gluten-free restaurant specializes in vegetarian dishes – excellent salads plus Portobello and raw lentil burgers – but it also offers a tuna melt and a BLT (with turkey bacon) on house-made waffle bread. Save room for delicious quinoa cupcakes topped with seasonal fruit jam and goat cheese icing.
Shrimp N’ Grits, chicken n’ waffles and pulled pork sandwiches are coming to Fort Lauderdale. Batch is bringing Southern comfort food to Flagler Village. Serving a farm-to-table menu, the kitchen gets its products from local farmers. Reservations are required for a taste of Southern, but delivery, take-out, and catering are also available.
A trendy chain in the center of downtown, Cheesecake Factory is known for its massive menu with more than 200 selections and its decadent cheesecakes available in over 50 varieties. Inspiration comes from the world over. Unexpected offerings include the Moroccan chicken with spicy harissa sauce, miso-glazed salmon, and a macaroni and cheese burger with deep-fried macaroni and cheese balls and cheddar cheese sauce. Lunch specials cover all areas of the menu and are reasonably priced. For cheesecakes, go all-out with Dutch apple caramel streusel or wild blueberry white chocolate.
JB’s on the beach specializes in fresh seafood, poultry, pasta, and beef dishes served by knowledgeable and friendly servers in an exciting beach front atmosphere.
A Fort Lauderdale staple since 1982, this Italian-American eatery will bring you back to Sunday dinners at your Nana’s house – if you’re Italian, that is. Expect Sinatra to play in the background as Chianti flows and platters of shrimp oreganata, veal Francaise, and zuppa di pesce are shared family-style. Intimate meals also work inside Runway’s setting, with its low lighting and mellow atmosphere. Don’t miss the Sicilian stuffed peppers (served cold with red wine vinegar and stuffed with bread crumbs, capers, olives, anchovies, and grated cheese), and the plump meatballs with marinara. Big-time diners will want the surf and turf entree, a combination of New York strip and South African lobster tail.
Big servings, friendly staff, raucous bar – especially popular for Sunday brunch.
This quaint French provincial restaurant is known for crepes that come filled with just about anything you can imagine. Sweet crepes include fresh fruit, Nutella, caramel, and ice cream. Savory ones come with seafood, meat, scrambled eggs, and cheese. Signature crepes include the Crepe Orleans, with blackened chicken breast, sliced tomato, and Gruyere cheese. The Crepe Nova Superbe is stuffed with smoked salmon, asparagus, capers, and béchamel. For dessert, try Johnny’s Favorite crepe, stuffed with fresh strawberries, banana, vanilla ice cream, and chocolate sauce.
Just steps from the Lauderdale-by-the-Sea fishing pier, the Village Grille has been serving up three solid meals a day for decades. Exposed brick, big booths with wood tables, and metal accents give the place a modern bistro look. The menu features many old standards, like the fish dip appetizer and the Boston baked cod, but there’s also an excellent Thai chicken salad and specials like a seasonal bento box. Weekend mornings will find waits around the block, and summer nights find the Village Grille packed with salty locals who come not for the near-ocean-views but consistency that has lasted a generation.
The dark mahogany interior and crisp white linens are trademarks of this upscale steakhouse. Begin the evening with the ahi tuna tower or oysters Rockefeller. Entrees include Chicago-style prime bone-in ribeye and Chilean seabass fillet a la nage. For dessert there’s Morton’s Legendary Hot Chocolate Cake or the Upside-Down Apple Pie.
This restaurant in the Marriott Renaissance Hotel serves up an assortment of American and French-inspired items. Early arrivers can indulge in omelets, French toast, and interesting offerings like alligator eggs Benedict with blackened alligator medallions and orange hollandaise sauce. Small plates like shredded pork sliders with pineapple barbecue and chicken lettuce wraps with sesame ginger dressing are served as midday snacks. For dinner, it’s all about the filet with port wine cherry reduction. For dessert, there’s warm bread pudding with vanilla and caramel or the Florida Key lime pie with chopped fruit and orange Grand Marnier sauce.
A beautiful restaurant with a dark wood interior, high ceilings and large windows overlooking the Intracoastal. Tables on the terrace provide a more casual setting. Sweet ginger calamari comes with a chili ginger beer glaze and the filet mignon is served with chimichurri and a loaded baked potato.
Enjoy the ocean view at this A1A legend.
A tribute to classic American favorites and craft beers, BJ’s is a casual dine-in (or carryout) restaurant for self-proclaimed bacon lovers. The menu includes boxes of “sticky shrimps,” or “chicken nuggs,” and even “Chuck Norris” sandwiches that include pork, coleslaw, and melted cheddar cheese on wagyu buns . Billy Jack’s offers a large variety of drafts that change daily and range from local to international, in addition to the collection of bottles or cans.