We went for Magical Dining at Aurora and it was such a great experience! Our group of 7 had excellent service by our waiter. We got to try an extra appetizer as we arrived, which was unexpected and delicious! The only difficult thing was choosing what I wanted. All the drinks sounded amazing, and the Old Fashioned I ordered was! My Creole Newburg was something I had never tried and I really enjoyed it. I am an expert in desserts and the Beignets did not disappoint! I highly recommend!! read more

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I finally returned for happy hour. Turns out the chef had returned also to that restaurant, but he wasn't there that day. The tuna was delightful, so fun to eat, satisfying textures. It was a light crisp perfect tart cup, filled with tuna sashimi, & tiny firm caviar eggs garnish. The presentation was stunning, surprised me. I inhaled the row. I also ordered wagyu beef sliders. They were nice, not great, but good. I definitely did not like the shoestring or super thin fries because they were hard and overcooked. I couldn't eat them. Told the bartender & nothing was done. They moved happy hour out to the lobby bar, instead of inside Aurora like before. Space Dust beer or something was okay; ask for a sample first before deciding. They took stuffed deviled quail eggs off the menu. I never got to try them. I hope they return. The delicious big tender turkey wings were also absent. They're still playing with the menu, but they're mostly concentrating on their Mothers' Day buffet in May. read more

Easter brunch was amazing! Definitely recommend this restaurant for a holiday brunch. Food was delicious! Only feedback...wish the waitstaff was more attentive. We waited a long time to get drinks. Kids drinks came out much later than the adult drinks. Will be back to try the regular menu. One of my new fav places!! read more

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I've only had the chance to visit the Aurora once so far, but it left a wonderful impression on me. The staff was attentive and polite and the food was fresh and very creative. The artisan cheeseboards are a great way to start the meal and come beautifully presented. For dinner I think involving their filet in any form (pie or steak) is the way to go. But, make sure to leave room for desert and order their signature supernova chocolate dome. A waiter will pour hot caramel over the dome revealing a brownie and ice cream underneath. The melty puddle will have you scraping the plate clean! read more

Aurora At The Celeste - Artisanal Cheeseboard - American Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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We went in June of 22 and this was an outstanding experience. Unlike NYC restaurant week where you get a different menu here magical dining allowed us to try things on the regular menu in normal portions and it was delicious. I have to tell you we went with my IN-Laws who were from NYC and go out to eat often and even they were impressed. The ambiance, the food, the experience it all did not disappoint. I will definitely be back for the empanadas, the drinks, the sliders, and the delicious entrees not pictured because everyone devoured them before I had a chance to snap a photo. read more

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Feeling let down in our most recent visit. We've been several times, but it has been a bit of time between our last visit and this visit. I'll start with the service - that was great! Our server was fantastic, very helpful and attentive, and even the other wait staff was helpful and present. The ambiance is always okay - there tends be live music out in the hotel, which is cool, but over powers the music in the restaurant, but isn't as great sounding because it's funneling in from the hotel and isn't clear sounding. The food we had was alright. It wasn't outstanding or captivating- as it had been in prior visits. And the sticking point was the price. All of the prices have increased significantly since our prior visits and the quality, while not bad, is not the same level it used to be. We spent over $100 for 1 beer, 1 cocktail and we shared: 1 pasta entree, 1 salad and bread. Probably won't come back, unfortunately. It was NOT bad, but it was not worth the price. There are plenty of places that we can share a bowl of okay pasta for less than $100. read more

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I found the dishes here to be unique and creative. My friend and I loved our meals, cocktails, and dessert. The ambiance is very cool, also, with a modern "space" theme. It's nice to see someplace this high end near Waterford/UCF. The service was too notch, also. read more

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My wife and I have been here 4 times and have never been disappointed. It's a great date night location. The menu does a great job of providing a variety of options for every taste and has great Gluten Free options that are clearly marked. Our favorites have been the crispy barramundi, steak medallions, arancini, flour less chocolate tort, and coconut milk pudding. read more

My husband, brother and sister-in-law, and I ate at Aurora this past Saturday and wow, what a gorgeous presentation to their dishes! The restaurant décor was beautiful. It was a perfect mix of classy and edgy with the astronaut mural, the astrological prints, and the different yet complimentary chairs. The service was spot on. My husband and I started out with the galaxy and a glass of sanguine de Jue. The pulsar was a fruity, slightly sweet, MEZMORIZING drink with edible glitter! For appetizers we had truffle fries and the wagyu sliders. The truffle fries were crispy, savory, and the aioli was PERFECTION! The sliders were juicy and meaty. We tried the shrimp pappardelle, lobster risotto, and the chicken rollatini. All of the dishes were good, but the presentation of the chicken was amazing! For dessert we split the croissant beignets with Nutella icing and of course, the Supernova. The beignets were crispy, sugary, and delicious. It was awesome watching the chocolate sphere melt away and reveal the creamy ice cream and crunchy brownie. Rating from F to A+++, it gets an A++. read more

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Excellent dinner. Father's Day celebration. Welcome back Chef Mike. We missed you! We heard you were back after reading the great comments of Mother's day brunch that I decided to surprise my husband tonight. For appetizers we decided for scallops with bacon and for dinner The Osso buco pop was excellent. Thank you again. We will come back soon. Ambiance was perfect. read more

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Very good service and great food. Loved that the chef brought out something to try. Everyone was very friendly and the drinks were delicious. read more

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Back in Orlando again for L.S. She is getting initiated into her sorority and I wanted to be there since H.S. is out of the country and clearly cannot be here. Hell, all I ever wanted to be was a girl dad so no excuses or prolonged explanations. I am here for HER. Anyways, coming to support your daughter during her initiation involves a lot of sitting around. Her future sisters were not full of scheduling info. I get it. I am a SigEp. I just want to see the joy on her face and give her a bunch of gifts with her Greek letters on them. Mission accomplished! L.S has tried the burger in The Celeste and has talked about it since. She has said it was fantastic. I ordered it while sitting in the bar waiting on her to wrap up her stuff. I ordered it medium rare and I will be damned it was the right temp! It was juicy and a good size too. Not stupid big and had a nice Comeback type of sauce on it. There was only one problem. Zero seasoning.........I am guessing the kitchen staff missed this one. I sat for a long time, a really long time. I didn't care, I was waiting on my daughter. It was long enough though for me to be thinking that they forgot me. It was pretty evident when someone scurried out of the back and whispered something to the bartender and scurried back to the kitchen only to produce said burger less than 10 minutes later. They did at least serve it with warm fries. I think the kitchen rushed to get the forgotten burger out and that's when the seasoning was missed. Hard to say One last comment. If you would like your drinks refreshed I wouldn't sit at the tables against the windows facing the pool. Sit at the bar or the high top tables closer to it. No servers only bartenders when they're free will come by your table. read more

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Love this hidden gem located on the UCF campus inside of the Celeste Hotel! Decided to try them for the first time since it's Bite30 as I had been hearing great things. They offer free valet parking which is nice but remember to get your ticket validated. Our reservation was at 5:45 and we were seated immediately. I love the decor and the classy interior and natural light. Our waitress came over immediately to get drink orders and we decided to just give her our dinner orders as well. I decided to order the Watermelon Mule that's featured on the Bite30 menu. Our initial drinks took a little while to come out but it gave me and my friend time to catch up. The drinks and appetizers arrived almost simultaneously. I chose the Baby Brie which was baked to perfection and topped with a berry compote and puff pastry. It was served with multigrain toasted bread which probably was my least favorite. They were too hard. Probably wouldn't get this again. Once appetizers were done there was a little bit of a lag for the entrees to arrive. I noticed the restaurant was getting busier and noticed several tables that had been seated but no one had come to take initial drink orders. There were only 2 servers but they really needed at least 2 more to handle the crowd. Finally our entrees arrived. I ordered the Chicken Osso Bucco. This was one of the most satisfying meals that I've had in a while. The pork belly truffle Mac and cheese was very good! The chicken was tender and the brussel sprouts were cooked perfectly . I wish the chicken had more seasoning but it was still juicy. Everything went very well together. I asked for a to go box because I had to save room for dessert. I also asked for another cocktail which I ordered the 21 questions. Dessert arrives and I didn't realize it was a flambé dessert which was a neat surprise. I got the Pineapple Bread pudding which came with ice cream and a flaming pineapple rum sauce. The guy who brought the dessert said it had a lot of rum in it and I proceeded to tell him to give me all the rum! Lol! My second cocktail arrived while I was finishing dessert so I felt a little rushed to drink it. We started looking for our server because we needed to get our checks. She was no where to be found. There was a table of 6 next to us that had been waiting for 15 minutes to be initially greeted so the manager ended up giving them something for free. We finally saw our server and asked for the checks. Off she went and we thought she would be back to cash us out. Nope! Waited another 10 minutes. We finally got our cards back and cashed out. The whole dining experience took 3 hours so be prepared. This place is great food and drink wise but service could use some help! read more

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I will review as a upscale restaurant, because of the high prices and portions. Bite 30 was only available after 5, so we opted for regular dishes. Paella croquetes were very good, carrot purée made sense with everything. Bao was ok. Pappardelle with chicken had no taste at all, black garlic? Taste like nothing. I went there for two things, 1 creole Newburg which was disappointing, they add the creamy sauce on top of a pastry dough, what do you think will happen? Very soggy, I couldn't eat. And the sauce was too creamy and too strong, that after two bites I couldn't eat anymore. 2 Supernova dessert? Well, the "rum" caramel flambé had nothing taste like rum, extremely sweet. Brownie was moist but very sweet. Ice cream just ok. The dome was in dark chocolate, but once it melted, just mixed with the sweet caramel and sweet too. Two raspberry on top of the ice cream, when you find and eats everything together (in small portion) it gets good with the acidity. Anyway, the portions are not proportional and it is just a expensive sweet dessert, just nice for the Instagram video, not in flavor and price. Environment was nice though. read more

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Unexpected meal .. out of this world. Drinks were fantastic. I had the Solar Flare. Fantastic! Dinner was great. Salmon, Paperdella, and skirt steak. All delicious. Desert was the super nova. Great for sharing. Service was awesome and aesthetic or the restaurant was cool. read more

Aurora At The Celeste - Solar flare - American Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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Been on our list to try and glad we went! To be fair the food was very good, we perhaps expected exceptional from all the posts/reviews we read. Our server was very good, knowledgeable and on point. Courses were paced out which was nice for us to digest and catch up with friends without feeling rushed. The moscato glass of wine was a generous pour and appreciated. Lots of good craft cocktail choices as well. The under duck beer was the drink of choice for the guys. Restaurant setting is bright and decorated tasteful. *Friendly tip - request a table and not a booth. The booths are set side by side and without a partition, you will be next to other patrons side by side which isn't my seating style of choice Huge kudos to the chef for his create food style. I have 3 big allergies and for the first time in a while I had many choices and limited restrictions We will be back! read more

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This is not your average hotel restaurant! The Celeste Hotel itself is a sight to behold. Nestled right on the main floor of the hotel is this amazing restaurant! They continue to refined "space" theme throughout, and the details are just spectacular. We only had the opportunity to have breakfast here each day, but I'm sure the other meals are equally as good. The food was such high quality, with fresh ingredients and complex flavor combinations. The Cinnamon Brioche French Toast Sticks literally Melt in your mouth! The granola parfait was topped with a piece of actual honeycomb. Aurora understands the concept of eating with your eyes first, and their presentation is top notch. Other offerings in the immediate area really can't compete with Aurora on any level. The value for money was pretty impressive for a hotel restaurant, and the staff were all so friendly and eager to provide the best hospitality possible. Excellent experience here!! read more

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Extremely impressive for a Marriott resort to have this kind of restaurant experience. I had the wagyu steak and wow! The portions are perfect. We ordered a lot of drinks and wine and appetizers and our server was excellent. It was an expensive meal but we were celebrating a large business deal with our clients and everyone thoroughly enjoyed the experience evening. The ambiance was modern and elegant. I'm shocked this was a hotel restaurant. If I'm back down I'll probably stay there so that I can eat multiple times there. If you go to the bar ahead of time, the bartenders are generous with their pours which gets them better tips and I feel like it makes the atmosphere that much better. Doesn't feel like the restaurant is Ricky take with measuring every ounce. read more

Depending on the day, the noise from the venue hall can be very disruptive. There was a party being held at the same time as my dinner and everything was easily heard in the dining room. Staff was constantly dropping silverware, though were friendly enough. Did not attend to us much however, and had to be asked to get more water. Wasn't a fan of the charcuterie board, but it was okay. Main appetizer of duck was pretty good, nice presentation. However, husband's lobster dish was very overcooked. This place appears high end, but in reality it is mid range. read more

Great overall dining experience. My friends and I decided to try their bite 30 menu it was an instant hit for all of us. A 3 course meal for $33 doesn't get better than this! To start I ordered the potato canellini which was delicious. The purple potatoes stuffed with Boursin were so tasty that I wished it was a full meal. My main course was the NY strip cook medium rare and it was very juicy and tasty. The steak was paired with purple mashed potatoes as well as tempura asparagus; the peppercorn Demi was a bonus addition to this dish. For dessert I ordered the Key Lime Pie with the raspberry coulis. The pie was tart enough but not over powering. I asked our waiter if these dishes were available on their regular menu and to my surprise they were. I will definitely be back because not only was the food delish but the services was excellent! I almost forgot to mention the amazing cocktails they serve that follow the zodiac sign of the month; to me that was mega cool! I will be back for sure! read more

We really were pleasantly surprised after reading mixed reviews. This was on Magicak Orlando Dining and felt a good time to test a new restaurant. It was a long drive for us but worry the trip. We were celebrating an anniversary so after being seating we saw a card on our table with best wishes. Then our waiter, Ethan asked if we would like a complimentary glass of champagne. We all said yes, and it was delicious too! Our waiter was awesome all night long and with great recommendations. The next surprise was a basket of delicious hot seasoned rolls with 2 creamy butter choices. A regular and a chive spread. The breadbasket is old school and a rare treat in restaurants today. It was so delicious that we asked for second basket!! Out of the 4 of us we had 3 of their appetizers. Everyone was happy with their choices too. In fact I would have traded my dresser for another appetizer. Two of us had the ahi tuna, one the hummus platter and the 4th had oxtail empanadas. The tuna ahi were mini poke bowls served on a beautiful wooden tray. DELICIOUS. The hummus platter could have been a main meal it was that large. The 2 oxtail empanadas were delicious but the one negative was that it was dripping with oil, just greasy. However the filling was delicious. I probably would order them again but alert the waiter for them to not be greasy. On to main entrees. We each picked different ones. All were full size dinner portions and delicious. We chose The fried chicken, steak filet tenderloins, barramundi fish and lastly the Jack fruit faro bowl. Out of the 4 the clear winner was the Barramundi filet. It was large, perfectly cooked and the risotto was also delicious. I would definitely pick that on my second visit. We all loved our meals. I had the fried chicken roll, the presentation was gorgeous but it was a little to dry and gummy as a bite but the sides with it crispy Brussels sprouts and layonnaise potatoes made it better but still heavy. I tried my husband's steak tenderloin and it was delicious and tender. I did not taste the faro bowl but I know they Sami it was delicious. We all wanted to save room for dessert so doggie bags were asked for. Plus, we wanted to also take home some of those delicious dinner rolls home too. Dessert was a winner too. On our waiters, Ethan's suggestion 2 got the vegan rice pudding, I got the donut with Nutella and my brother got the dessert cheese board. We were all very pleased with our dessert choices. I tasted the rice pudding and have to say I would get that the next time. Every course could stand alone as a good quality and quantity. You most definitely get your $40 pp worth. We had the pleasure of a long visit with the chef, Mike, before our dessert. What a wonderful gentleman! He takes pride in his food and it definitely showed. I hope you also get to meet him because you will enjoy his culinary and personal history he shared with us. Made our evening even more special. I have to say the staff at this restaurant is excellent. Again I want to compliment Ethan our server and his assistant Inbar. Both are customer service oriented and very personable. They also are working their way through college at UCF. They more than earn and deserve a generous tip folks!!! The restaurant itself is very pretty and lives up to its name Aurora with zodiac signs and lighting and spaceships as part of the dining experience. Magical dining ends on September 30th. This place is definitely worth the drive. Plan to dine and enjoy the experience too. Great place to celebrate a special event read more

I came here on a Sunday for lunch and wow this place is amazing! The ambiance and space theming is cool! The food was good too the prime rib was my fav meat! Service was fantastic! The manager Lili was excellent came to check to see if I needed and recommend her fav drinks! Also keep your parking ticket from valet so they can validate it for the complimentary parking just bring cash for tip! read more

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Went here for Easter brunch and everything was perfect. There were so many appetizing selections, there was no way possible to try everything. The amount of food was overwhelming and the displays were just beautiful. What we did have was perfectly cooked and delicious. It was well worth the money and the service was very attentive and friendly. I would definitely go back. read more

I have had amazing experiences here but tonight was definitely lacking. I need to find my past pictures to show my amazing birthday gift my from my husband. Tonight was a bit overcooked on the chicken side and under-seasoned on the chicken side. Everything was delicious but was definitely lacking a bit with the Magical Dining experience. read more

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If you haven't been to the Aurora, you need to RUN there. I've dined here several times now and I will say each time has been an amazing experience. I'm talking about high quality and consistently delicious food every single time. The Aurora restaurant is located inside the Celeste hotel which is a new boutique hotel owned by Marriott on the edge of UCF property. The restaurant is beautifully decorated with a celestial feel to match the name. The modern lights and zodiac sign plates on the walls are a nice touch. I would recommend making a reservation as they can get real busy. The hotel offers free valet parking as well. On our last visit, we requested for a tasting menu to celebrate a birthday in our party. The chef can absolutely accommodate it but needs time in advance. Everything was amazing! They recently changed their drink menu and I would say all their cocktails are slightly on the sweet side. You really can't go wrong with any dish here. My favorite dishes are the Waygu sliders, the truffle Arancini balls, the prawn and grits, and the root vegetable pave. But the best dish on the menu is the Black Garlic Pappardelle. It's the BEST. So delicious and creamy without feeling crazy heavy. It will be my new go-to dish here. They also have a happy hour which I would highly recommend (select bites for like $6). And you can't skip out on dessert. The Supernova dessert is a MUST!!! And probably one of the best desserts ever. It's so unique too and when it's presented, it feels like a dessert from a Netflix cooking show or something. Definitely a show stopper and you have to get the big reveal on video! Executive Chef Mike Trudnak is so incredibly talented! And his food is absolutely delicious. He has done such an amazing job with the menu and it's definitely a hidden gem in the Orlando food scene. Don't sleep on this place! read more

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This review is for the Thanksgiving special buffet. I was so excited when I got a reservation as they can sell out very quickly. The display is beyond beautiful. The bread spread was the most impressive I ever seen. It blows my mind. There were abundant options of seafood, appertizers, meat options, cheese and fruits, and desserts. We tried a bit of everything and they all taste very good. The service of drinks is a bit slow but understandable. It's a busy occasion. Overall we had a great experience and can't wait to go back for next Thanksgiving. read more

I highly recommend giving this place a try if you're looking for a fun date night or girls night out! The ambiance and decor are so fun and modern! Parking was easy and free and the restaurant and bar is right inside the entrance of the hotel. We came during happy hour so we did wine flights which was a nice way to try out different wines. We both loved the Epic Run. We also ordered the alligator empanadas because they sounded so unique. They were good and the curry sauce was fantastic. We also came during Bite30 and wow what a great value! Huge portions and incredible flavors. I loved the arancini!!! Perfect crispy, cheesy, truffle goodness. The pasta is truly out of this world. You MUST try it! And the rice pudding was also fun and delicious. Will definitely return!! read more

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Aurora provides an incredible and upscale atmosphere for any occasion! The staff are all very friendly and the food here is exceptional. This is one of my favorite restaurants in Orlando. 10/10 experience. I highly recommend trying them! read more

Aurora is a great restaurant tucked away near UCF's campus. Went out for a girls night to celebrate a birthday and we all had their Magical Dining 3-Courses. We each got different appetizers, the fried cheese, oxtail empanadas, and hummus were delicious. The oxtail empanadas were so filling and a great portion. For entrees I ordered the filet medallions and they were also delicious. For dessert, the chocolate mousse cake was so decadent and I loved the white chocolate astronaut on top. Overall the food, price and decor make for a great spot to enjoy a night out or for a celebration. read more

Aurora At The Celeste - Grilled Filet Medallions - American Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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Went here with my family for a late birthday dinner. Valet parked (complementary) my car inside the Celeste hotel and was directed to the restaurant located near the lobby. Was greeted and seated immediately by a friendly host. Our server, Melody, immediately took our drinks orders and decided on the mojito mocktail. While there was no alcohol, it was fruity and refreshing. Had the jackfruit chips and the crab cake for appetizer. The crab cake was delicious with a good amount of crab meat. The BBQ sauce that came with the jackfruit chips made the dish quite addicting. It had the right amount of sweetness and flavor to add in the chips. For the main course, I had the salmon with the parmesan risotto. The salmon came grilled, which became a little dry. But it was still fresh and flavorful. I enjoyed the risotto more as the parmesan had the right amount of sharpness without being overbearing and rich. I also loved the asparagus that was included as well, perfect al Dante texture. I also tried the jackfruit burger, which was also tasty because I believe it came with the same BBQ sauce as the chips did. For dessert, we had the signature supernova dish, which was a chocolate dome filled with vanilla ice cream on top of a chocolate brownie, then doused in a rum caramel sauce. It was as delicious as it sounded. The brownie was chocolatey, and that caramel sauce had the right amount of rum flavor. It was a perfect end to a great meal. Since this restaurant was inside a Marriott chain hotel, one can expect excellent service. Melody provided it very well by answering all our questions and concerns we had, accommodating our vegetarian guests with suggestions and even providing samples, and neatly packing our leftovers. The atmosphere of the restaurant was nothing fancy. There was ample seating and a private dining room as well, and the restaurant was next to the hotel bar. The music was just piped popular music from the hotel lobby. It would have been a lot better if the lighting was darker with space music instead. Overall, this is one of the best non Disney hotel restaurants I have been to in Orlando. The food and service were wonderful. However, it was a bit pricey after spending 200 dollars for 2 drinks, 2 appetizers, 4 entrees, and 1 dessert after tips. But it is worth the splurge! Even better, they do participate in Orlando's magical dining promotion, so I will indeed revisit again in September. read more

Aurora At The Celeste - The mojito without alcohol. - American Near Me - Orlando, Florida

Came here per the yelp reviews. I was a little surprised at the venue. Based on reviews, I expected more upscale. We came for the Valentine's Day event. We were not seated when we arrived, and then other couples were seated before us. We checked at the front and the hostess just left the stand. Finally a server came back and sat us at the smallest possible table. The bread was the highlight of the night. It was so delicious. We ordered the lobster bisque, steak and lobster. The soup was very salty and tasted strange, like tomato soup. I've had lobster bisque many times, and I can't ever remember not liking it. Neither of us finished it. The steak tasted boiled. It had a char, but was soft and doughy. I did not finish it. The lobster was undercooked. It was impossible to cut. The gray color made us avoid eating it. The Brussels were good, but a little oily, and the mashed potatoes were mediocre. The chocolate dessert had good presentation, but was dry and boring. The service was the best of the meal (and the bread). The manager seemed like he cared a lot, so I appreciate that, but this was just not great food. read more

I went for magical dining recently. I got the gator empanadas, steak with veggies, and the keylime pie. I really enjoyed the empanadas. They are small but the perfect appetizer and so delicious. The steak was okay. The outer part was a bit too charred and it was room temperature like it had been sitting for a bit. I loved the potatoes that came with the steak, definitely were my favorite part of the dish. The keylime was tasty. My husband got the duck wings and the wagyu sliders. Both were very good. Our server was really nice and attentive although a bit absent at the end because the restaurant was really busy. Valet is complimentary and the valet guy was really nice. I'd love to go back for happy hour since I really enjoyed the apps that are on the happy hour menu. read more

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This has been on our list of places to try for a while. It's a vibe... probably not what someone expects. My wife and I enjoyed everything about it...the service, the drinks, the appetizer, the entree, the dessert. The presentation and flavors were great. The only thing we would have liked, and it's not a complaint or nothing bad, we would have liked the lights a little dimmer...such a cool place. We already planned what we will order next time we are going. read more

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