Orlando Restaurants & Bars

[AmIReal]

2 hours ago, Jernigan said:

Coming soon to Church Street Station 

Well, Elize is already there. I've been several times since the name change and was there tonight. Very good, btw, but they are still in a "test menu" phase.

OTOH Cucina is still in process, but seems to be about 4-6 weeks out (weeks in City permitting time is like dog years, so this could mean next summer).

It looked like Floridabilt was open tonight, but I had to rush and go somewhere so did not get to wander in.

[Jernigan]

Thanks - I didn’t connect that Elize was the Rusty Spoon redo and not a new coffee shop lol.

I live in SoDo area and love that CSS is sending out direct mail like this to the surrounding area.  They did it last year too.

[spenser1058]

Ivanhoe Park Brewey wins Best Microbrewery Foodster Award From Scott J’s readers:

https://www.scottjosephorlando.com/foodster-awards/past-winners/4965-ivanhoe-park-brewing-company-wins-best-microbrewery-foodster-award

[spenser1058]

Throwback Wednesday: Remember dining at Chalet Suzanne after a trip to Cypress Gardens or Bok Tower?

https://twitter.com/historycenterfl/status/1202338664862367745?s=21

 

[HankStrong]

I do really need to visit Bok Tower again.  I enjoyed that.

[AmIReal]

Sometime in the past 2 weeks the Graffiti Junction on Church St shuttered. Rumor is the TP location may soon follow.

[popsiclebrandon]

33 minutes ago, AmIReal said:

Sometime in the past 2 weeks the Graffiti Junction on Church St shuttered. Rumor is the TP location may soon follow.

What the hell happened to Greg? Year or two ago they seemed to be flying high and growing and now its all closing.

[AmIReal]

As previously mentioned, Graffiti Junction on Church is gone. OBJ reports that Chela Taco may be next.

Both articles had a quote from Graffiti owner claiming downtown was a ghost town and that was the reason for closing. It may be true the number of diners are sparse, but I wonder if selling burgers in the same block as Wahlburgers and Mary's was more to blame.

I seldom get into Wahlburgers- does anyone know how they are doing?

Also, on the potential Cheela loss, I've got to think with the Taco Bell Cantina coming along Cheela's days were numbered anyway.

[AndyPok1]

I don't understand this ghost town story.  There's more people in our downtown than Tampa or most other mid size cities.  The actual quote is fascinating.   "I don't think there's any reason for anybody in this room right now to be in downtown Orlando after 7 p.m. at night. "

Like... what?  What reason is there for anyone to be anywhere after 7pm at night?  You're either eating dinner or home or going to an event.  You can do all of those things downtown.  Just the people "in this room" happen to be rich car-dependent suburbanites.

[orlandouprise]

1 hour ago, AndyPok1 said:

I don't understand this ghost town story.  There's more people in our downtown than Tampa or most other mid size cities.  The actual quote is fascinating.   "I don't think there's any reason for anybody in this room right now to be in downtown Orlando after 7 p.m. at night. "

Like... what?  What reason is there for anyone to be anywhere after 7pm at night?  You're either eating dinner or home or going to an event.  You can do all of those things downtown.  Just the people "in this room" happen to be rich car-dependent suburbanites.

Don't understand the logic...because Tampa is worse, then we are ok? Many mid sized city DT's are booming. Charlotte, San Antonio, Austin, Portland, Kansas City, etc...hell even Greenville, Charleston and Savannah are light years ahead. There is a problem here and Thomas Chatmon is doing nothing to fix it.

Edited December 13, 2019 by orlandouprise

[AndyPok1]

I agree that Thomas Chatmon isn't doing enough.  But I'm unsure how we aren't booming.  Because Downtown Orlando isn't a trendy place to visit for a weekend getaway?  We're never gonna be that.  The tourist district frankly prohibits that, and honestly, I'm okay with that.

I haven't seen numbers lately, but last I saw we had the biggest net positive of nighttime downtown residents vs daytime downtown workers in any comparable city.  And I don't see that changing.

[spenser1058]

Downtown is hardly a failure - most downtowns would love to be us. It’s just the one area we’re failing in is so visible to so many.

As Buddy proved with our Publix and the movie theater which both succeeded beyond everyone’s expectations, it’s not even that hard to fix. It’s just one of the blind spots there hasn’t been the interest in fixing under the Dome.

Here’s what’s interesting though: just as the venues hit critical mass as Buddy took office, some of the other powers that be are starting to talk about taboo subjects. As AmIReal noted, for the first time in memory, even the DEVELOPERS are acknowledging the 6-9pm problem.

The Sentinel is beating the drum at long last on wages, affordable housing and transportation. A lot of this has emanated from, of all places, the Brick Bunker with Jerry Demings’ task forces. It just goes to show what some new blood can do. It’s come from the city instead of the county most of the time in the past (and Mayor Demings, at age 60, has been around governmental corridors almost as long as Buddy; stepping into a non-law enforcement role seems to have invigorated him), but if it gets Orlando moving again like it did in 1980 and 2003, we’ll take it!

Edited December 14, 2019 by spenser1058

[popsiclebrandon]

Whalburgers has had their space up for lease for like a year so I assume they are not killing it and will vacate I think in 2020 it says.

[spenser1058]

14 hours ago, popsiclebrandon said:

Whalburgers has had their space up for lease for like a year so I assume they are not killing it and will vacate I think in 2020 it says.

If Wahlburger isn’t doing well either, am I the only one who finds it a tad ironic that Hamburger Mary’s, arguably the most successful spot on Church Street (in terms of longevity if nothing else), is being pushed out and the city seems to not be lifting a finger to assist? That does sort of sum up the “ghost town” problem.

[popsiclebrandon]

4 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

If Wahlburger isn’t doing well either, am I the only one who finds it a tad ironic that Hamburger Mary’s, arguably the most successful spot on Church Street (in terms of longevity if nothing else), is being pushed out and the city seems to not be lifting a finger to assist? That does sort of sum up the “ghost town” problem.

What can the city do? It does sound like the landlord was pushing them into default which is messed up and I hope the landlord ends up with a bunch of empty space but that this is a civil matter. I guess the city can help them express permit and get open in a new place but that is probably it.

[spenser1058]

16 minutes ago, popsiclebrandon said:

What can the city do? It does sound like the landlord was pushing them into default which is messed up and I hope the landlord ends up with a bunch of empty space but that this is a civil matter. I guess the city can help them express permit and get open in a new place but that is probably it.

There’s this belief in here that the city can never do anything about anything. If you have a weak mayor form of government that might even be a valid point.

But that’s never been the way Orlando works. It’s why a relatively small city has often dictated the conversation in Central Florida.

For example, Buddy can’t do anything about the ARB. Really? He decides who is on it and who votes. If the regulations aren’t to his liking, he can have them rewritten and brought to council for a vote. Can you remember the last time an Orlando Mayor lost a vote? I don’t and I’m old.

Oftentimes, it’s just a matter of using the bully pulpit. Remember when Highwoods was gonna bulldoze the Eola Five and build a tower where no one wanted it? Citizens got together and said no and Buddy used that to ask Highwoods to stand down. They did.

Mayor Bill’s vision sometimes got people to do things differently just by asking. The open plaza at Church and Orange came about because he asked. The same thing happened with the Atlantic Bank at Central and Orange being turned at an angle. He thought it would look better so he asked.

He also saved the downtown neighborhoods even though realtors and developers screamed he couldn’t. Legislation was passed and 30 years later it’s still intact.

Buddy did the same thing when he bulldozed the Jaymont Block in violation of a city proclamation. He figured he could get away with it and he did.

Mayor Bill hated flat roof towers and wanted water features. So they passed legislation (that’s how the visors happened- not every idea works. Buddy could have gone back and fixed the statute but he didn’t bother).

It all comes down to the vision a mayor has. Mayor Bill was every bit as corporate as Buddy but he realized some things matter more to the community than profits.

In the case of Mary’s, here’s a downtown small business that works and the way it was handled at city hall made it look like only big developers matter. That’s a big reason downtown has the “ghost town” problem. Buddy has ignored it, like most neighborhood issues, for years.

Every mayor has things they do well and things they don’t. Mayor Bill dropped the ball on transit/pedestrians because he believed the car is king. Glenda tried to fix that but didn’t spend the time on the venues.

Buddy took care of that with his big developer buddies but has ignored the neighborhoods.

The next mayor might well move those issues forward but I don’t expect Buddy will because that’s not his thing.

Just because he’s not interested, though, doesn’t mean it’s not doable. Generally, Orlando mayors have gotten what they want.

 

 

 

[AmIReal]

1 hour ago, spenser1058 said:

There’s this belief in here that the city can never do anything about anything. If you have a weak mayor form of government that might even be a valid point.

But that’s never been the way Orlando works. It’s why a relatively small city has often dictated the conversation in Central Florida.

For example, Buddy can’t do anything about the ARB. Really? He decides who is on it and who votes. If the regulations aren’t to his liking, he can have them rewritten and brought to council for a vote. Can you remember the last time an Orlando Mayor lost a vote? I don’t and I’m old.

Oftentimes, it’s just a matter of using the bully pulpit. Remember when Highwoods was gonna bulldoze the Eola Five and build a tower where no one wanted it? Citizens got together and said no and Buddy used that to ask Highwoods to stand down. They did.

Mayor Bill’s vision sometimes got people to do things differently just by asking. The open plaza at Church and Orange came about because he asked. The same thing happened with the Atlantic Bank at Central and Orange being turned at an angle. He thought it would look better so he asked.

He also saved the downtown neighborhoods even though realtors and developers screamed he couldn’t. Legislation was passed and 30 years later it’s still intact.

Buddy did the same thing when he bulldozed the Jaymont Block in violation of a city proclamation. He figured he could get away with it and he did.

Mayor Bill hated flat roof towers and wanted water features. So they passed legislation (that’s how the visors happened- not every idea works. Buddy could have gone back and fixed the statute but he didn’t bother).

It all comes down to the vision a mayor has. Mayor Bill was every bit as corporate as Buddy but he realized some things matter more to the community than profits.

In the case of Mary’s, here’s a downtown small business that works and the way it was handled at city hall made it look like only big developers matter. That’s a big reason downtown has the “ghost town” problem. Buddy has ignored it, like most neighborhood issues, for years.

Every mayor has things they do well and things they don’t. Mayor Bill dropped the ball on transit/pedestrians because he believed the car is king. Glenda tried to fix that but didn’t spend the time on the venues.

Buddy took care of that with his big developer buddies but has ignored the neighborhoods.

The next mayor might well move those issues forward but I don’t expect Buddy will because that’s not his thing.

Just because he’s not interested, though, doesn’t mean it’s not doable. Generally, Orlando mayors have gotten what they want.

 

 

 

But I see no reason whatsoever for the Mayor to step into this. I understand you feel otherwise. This is a landlord/ tenant issue- unlike your other examples. 

@popsiclebrandon is on the right track, if Mary's wants to find a new location it seems Wahlburgers is an option and the City could help them move that along. Otherwise, the City should remain out of this completely.

[FLClarkKent]

Not a foodie by any means, but when I’m looking for a restaurant, I want good food, reasonable prices, and good service. Quite frankly, that’s hard to find downtown. And I blame that on the restaurant owners, not the city.

I understand rental rates are quite high, so many places will charge a premium. But if you have to do so, make sure the food is good and your service is on point. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve tried places downtown and the service was indifferent at best, crappy at worst.  There’s too much competition for any restaurant to take a customer for granted. 

And the “Church Street is a ghost town” excuse is bull puckey. Amura has been there for years. Mary’s, too (although I’m not a fan).

And while I’m on a rant, why is that these restaurants can’t get their act together when there are events at the Amway? Every time I’m down there for a game or concert, these places operate like it came out of the blue.  As if they’re surprised there’s a massive crowd. Wasted opportunities.

 

 

[spenser1058]

Scott J’s Foodster Award For Best Restaurant is now collecting votes. Some of the ones our UP crew are high on made the cut like Delaney’s and Dexter’s New Standard made the cut so get your vote in!

https://www.scottjosephorlando.com/foodster-awards/current-nominees/5017-best-new-restaurant-2019

[spenser1058]

Yummmmy! Key Lime pie from Ace Cafe - It Just screams Florida (and no, it’s not supposed to be green)!

https://bungalower.com/2019/12/23/locavore-key-lime-pie-from-ace-cafe/

From Bungalower 

[spenser1058]

While Sanford mourns the loss of its Macy’s, we head  downtown where Scott J.  updates us on The Case of the Old Jailhouse:

https://www.scottjosephorlando.com/news/5043-update-on-case-involving-owner-of-old-jailhouse

[popsiclebrandon]

Really disgusting of Scott to print that victim shaming garbage from the defense.  Local media promoting that restaurant need a hard look in the mirror.

[spenser1058]

13 minutes ago, popsiclebrandon said:

Really disgusting of Scott to print that victim shaming garbage from the defense.  Local media promoting that restaurant need a hard look in the mirror.

I have to say that since the initial coverage had the defendant all but tried and convicted (and blew his name all over the media unlike the plaintiff here), I would say it just about balances out.

[AmIReal]

11 hours ago, popsiclebrandon said:

Really disgusting of Scott to print that victim shaming garbage from the defense.  Local media promoting that restaurant need a hard look in the mirror.

 

10 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

I have to say that since the initial coverage had the defendant all but tried and convicted (and blew his name all over the media unlike the plaintiff here), I would say it just about balances out.

Have to agree with Brandon. I assume Joseph decided to run this piece because he is getting so much crap about the Old Jailhouse winning the award on his flog. He should have just said I don't select the nominees or the winners, I simply print the results- then moved on. His seeking out the defense attorney for an interview gives the sense of him being a journalist, but then inclusion of the attorney's one-sided quotes without questioning goes beyond normal journalistic standard. Printing of the defendant's name and not the accuser is standard practice unless the accuser becomes a plaintiff in a civil trial.

Btw, the restaurant is quite good.

[jack]

Seems like an interesting menu.