We decided to check this out on our way back from Orlando to Tampa and we couldn't have been happier with our decision. What a delicious restaurant! If this was closer I would probably eat here every few weeks! We are already excited to go back. Expert bartenders, delicious cocktails and wonderful wine list started us off! I told the server I was a gin fan and my taste profile and she immediately knew which bartender to appeal to and made the perfect drink. From there, we really wanted to try the whole menu but with our servers guidance we were able to narrow it down and we couldn't have been more pleased. The empanadas were so flavorful but definitely hearty (perhaps too much for just 2 of us), the avocado mousse and tomatillos also however were spectacular and we probably had not ever come without ordering them! Despite wanting to try some of the more traditional Spanish entrees we were both really feeling the filet and weren't disappointed. Extra points for having my FAVORITE wine by the glass (Caymus Suisun Grand Durif). We didn't have room for dessert, but we're drooling over the tables around us that ordered! We need to come back soon with more space! read more

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We were in town for business staying next door and this restaurant was recommended. I think we tried everything in the menu and loved it all! For apps we had the Brussel sprouts, calamari and shrimp ceviche. The Brussels and calamari were probably my favorites. We each tried the different types of steak and all were phenomenal. I had the churrasco steak that was cooked to perfection and jam packed with flavor. We also tried all the desserts offered and were very impressed. Our waiter was very attentive and gave the group free first time guest treats. We were taken care of very well here and we'll be stopping by with the team when we're back in the area. I highly recommend this restaurant if you are looking for amazing food. read more

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OMG!!! What a delightful surprise! The empanadas were different but tasty. The vaca frita was delish. Service was on point. Ambiance is perfect. Food was incredible. read more

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I waited for an hour for my food. I ordered online at 4:30, arrived at 5:30 (when it was supposed to be ready) and didn't get my food till 6:30. I paid over $55 dollars for a "fiesta" that did not include lettuce, tomato, or salsa and the flour tortillas were rubbery. I got a huge tub of semi-decent guacamole that was overkill for the amount of chips included which makes no sense to me.... Guess the expense is in all those avocados used for the guac? The paloma drink is decent but I will not return. The "regulars" seemed to get good service but in my opinion, treating new customers poorly is a great way to tank a business. read more

Nineteen 61 - This is their "fiesta." - Latin American Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

So good. This place has it all and it is great! I will be back. Good stuff! The service was top notch as well.

Best place we have been to in the area. Food is prepared very well and the service was top tier. Nice atmosphere love the Latin flair, delicious food. read more

Our party ordered a variety of food and one of our party ordered a meal they weren't familiar with and wasn't excited about the taste. Staff reacted quickly and replaced his order with something else as a priority. Everyone at our table was satisfied with their meals by the time we left! All food was served in a timely manner. The servers are all professional and work outstanding as a team! The ambiance is beautiful and accommodating. Worth it to come back! read more

1961 has been a location that we have enjoyed taking our family to for special occasions. We have celebrated holidays anniversaries and most recently my husband's birthday The evening started off well enough the bartenders were awesome as we had a drink before the remainder of our family met up with us We receded 10 minutes late for our reservation drink orders were taken and then it was 25 minutes before we saw our waiter again We did place our order for appetizers and beverages and the beverage both came out quickly There was a delay in getting our orders taken and when we finally did get our orders taken we were informed that one of the main dishes that we came here for for the evening had just run out 10 minutes earlier Our dinner orders were taken and then another hour and a half went by before we got our food We do understand that sometimes on a busy Friday night things can get backed up however we watched three other tables that were seated well after us received their meals and complete them before we even received ours While the food was flavorful it did not come out hot we had two children with us who were literally asleep before their meals came to us We were offered a discount of our appetizers in a couple of drinks. Mostly I was sad and embarrassed because I wanted to take my family out for a nice dinner to celebrate my husband's birthday Unfortunately this experience has left us where we do not believe we will be returning cannot recommend. read more

I love their food here. I'm big on flavor and my food being hot when it gets to the table. Never had a bad experience here. read more

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A friend suggested I give this place a try and it didn't disappoint. The ambience is very trendy, elegant yet still comfortable setting. Every in here is brand new and you can tell. We decided to sit at the bar and the service was awesome, specifically Briana( I hope I got that right). She was very attentive and when she had a break from making all those fancy cocktails she took time to engage in conversation with us. Cocktails- They have lots to choose from. I had the Old Fashion with rum what made their stand out from the competition was they smoked the glass with cedar chips. The Food. Grilled Octopus- By far my favor dish of the evening! The octopus was grilled to perfection and very tasty. It was paired with a black bean purée that complimented the octopus perfectly. Leche De Tigre Ceviche- served with corvina for those of you who haven't corvina it's a white fish similar to sea bass that's mild and sweet tasting. The ceviche was great and fresh. It was served with plantain chips to give its some crunch and taste. Great compliment for those who don't like the texture of ceviche by itself. Calamares-they were chocolate style when we were there. Flash fried perfectly and tender. Tacos- They have 3 choices, chicken, steak and pork we got one of each. The pork tacos were my favorite by far. They do a char on them that was just amazing. It gave them a crunch without over cooking. The chicken and steak tacos were good too, but nothing stood out from any other good chicken and steak taco. I'll definitely come back to check out the rest of the menu read more

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What a fantastic experience! We really enjoyed the food and the service. The ambiance was also fantastic. For best service, make a reservation so you get a nice table for your meal. read more

What a wonderful time we had at this restaurant. We are from SWFL and visiting Lakeland for my husbands birthday. After reading the glowing reviews on here, we decided to make reservations for 7pm on a Friday evening. Our table was ready when we arrived (5 mins early!) and my husband's menu was personalized. We had an amazing server that recommended all of the right things! We enjoyed the scallops as an appetizer, I had the filet and my husband had the churasco steak. I wish I had gotten more photos to share but you'll just have to take my word for it, THIS PLACE IS FANTASTIC! It's hard to find restaurants that do it right, and this place hits all the buttons. We will definitely be back! read more

Nineteen 61 - Pallet cleanser - Latin American Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

This place was amazing! My siblings and I surprised our parents for their wedding anniversary. They printed special menus with their names on it and gave them complementary champagne. The service was great! The food perfection! We sat on the patio. The chairs were kinda awkward, but it actually added to our celebration and made us laugh. We started with drinks. I had the pomegranate martini that was wine infused. It had great flavor. Others at the table had wine and beer and seemed to enjoy it. One of the wines had a story. Ask for it by name "If you see Kay". We got a couple appetizers to share. Chips and salsa Octopus Both were great, but the octopus was amazing! Our meals - all I can say is WOW. I had the filet mignon and it just melted in my mouth. The others also raved about thier dishes. We ended the night with dessert. So good! I was planning a return visit before we left the restaurant! read more

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I enjoyed eating at Nineteen 61. I thought the food was great. Ambiance was wonderful.

I love this place. Amazing food and definitely was a plus during covid. I have been going to their restaurant since 2016 when they were located on south florida. read more

Nineteen61 is a wonderful place to celebrate a birthday (or just have a fabulous night out) They print a birthday message with the persons name on top of their menu, the whole staff signs a card and delivers it at the end of your meal along with a free dessert for the birthday boy or girl. They also peppered us with treats as we waited for our meal (gluten free cheese bread), something with bacon jam on it, and cookies at the end of our meal. Our birthday boy (and the rest of us) felt very special when we left there. read more

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We could not have asked for a better place to take our son for a final family dinner before we left him 2,800 miles away to attend his freshman year at FSC. The staff were very attentive and genuine and everything the kitchen sent out was memorable. Great find in such a beautiful community. Can't wait to come back! read more

Great place to eat, my husband is first generation Cuban but a purist when it comes to Cubam food! We were a little hesitant to order the Vaca Frita, but we were surprised at the quality and flavor, It was terrific! the presentation was beautiful and the ingredients fresh! Congratulations to the Chef for elevating delicious latían American food! read more

Nineteen 61 - Vaca Frita - Latin American Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

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As far as nineteen 61 is concerned I don't think they need a another rave review. Just amazing. From the Sunday brunch to cocktails through dinner. Ceviche of all kinds is amazing and finger licking good. Easily the best restaurant in downtown and worth a visit as long you can snag a seat. read more

1961 Salad Lunch is my favorite! My office is walking distance and I go at least 3x a week just for it.

My other favorite restaurant in Lakeland Florida. The food is fabulous, the service, commendable and the ambience, wonderful.

From start to finish everything was DELICIOUS! (Except the fresh lemonade) just order a cool libation from their extensive bar menu! I won't hold it against them though, and neither should you. I believe you could order ANYTHING on this menu and it would be just as amazing. The flavors, the presentation, the service (insert chefs kiss). It was perfect for date night during our spring break trip a little mommy daddy break from the little ones. We even got free dessert Grand Marnier Creme Brulee (could've had champagne ) since it was our first time visiting! 10/10 highly recommend! read more

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The food was amazing and the staff took great care of us! Brandon who helped us did an amazing job and I would definitely go back and ask for him. The ambiance was one of a kind!! read more

Nineteen 61 - Churrasco Steak, Arroz Chaufa dinner - Latin American Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

I had some of the most amazing tacos at this restaurant during a recent visit. I had the beef, ox tail, and chicken tacos; they were absolutely delicious! Having grown up eating what my Mexican grandmother prepared, this definitely made me feel right at home. Whether it's the famous '61 Salad or a speciality dish, Chef Marcos always delivers an on-point dish that leaves you full! Five stars! read more

Nineteen 61 - Tacos (Beef, Ox tail, Chicken) - Latin American Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

I love this restaurant and always take family and friends here. Staff is incredibly kind and the food is phenomenal!

Great night for an anniversary! Each bite was getting better and better. The restaurant gave it a vibe that your in a different elite of luxury. read more

Food was delicious, restaurant filled up fast. Recommend going a little early to get a table.

I've tried these place twice! Both times the food was good. I enjoy the ambiance, it's very small and low lit. Perfect for a date night! The plantains and yucca fries were perfect. I really enjoyed my chicken and rice dish as well. read more

This is the first time I ever felt where service and food was absolutely perfect. My experience was by far the best experience ever. From the appetizers all the way to the desert, EVERYTHING was amazing. Our server was engaged from beginning to end and the staff were nothing but very accommodating with everything. Anything you pick on the menu will be delicious. Highly recommend to come here if you are visiting Lakeland. You guys rock! read more

Nineteen 61 - Empanadas - Latin American Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

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Lorddd have mercy what an excellent spot to eat - so happy I'm back to work travel!! Loved this spot and loved the food and cocktails more. The calamari was some of the damn best I ever had and the jalapeño honey drizzle flavor party in your mouth. My coworker snagged the salad and I went for the tacos, blessed with pickled onions again. Chefs kiss definitely a revisit and place you should try. read more

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First time here and the outside looks like a building on Miami Beach love it. You walk into the bar and then dining area. The vibe here is upbeat, classy and Latin! Started with the Macho Margarita it is a spicy margarita and it's amazing. Next the empanadas wow these are great and not what I'm used to I believe the recipe is a mix of a few Latin countries but this is a must if you go. Next try the croquettes they are delicious next the chicken avocado salad. It's light and perfect! With plantains of course. Last the Cuban sandwich. You can share it as the portion is large. It's tasty and very satisfying. This place is a gem I highly recommend it. The food and cocktails are so special. read more

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The food was excellent. The service and attention to detail was like no other place. It was my husband's birthday and they went above and beyond. Highly recommend read more

We had a wonderful anniversary dinner recently. Service was excellent and the food was amazing. We will definitely be returning. read more

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This place is top notch! The service is great. Our server was attentive, kind and engaging. The food was impeccable. Would highly recommend! read more

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This is a great spot, we save it for special occasions because it is pricey. The atmosphere is great, very clean and fancy. No matter what you order, its all good quality and tastey. We love the new location, much more convenient than the old. read more

Food tasted ok a bit on the salty side. Portions were all over the place depending on what you order. They ran out of the specialty chicken when we got there. Service was great considered that it was quite busy on a Thursday evening. Dessert was quite disappointing. read more

We stopped for late lunch on a Monday afternoon about 1:45 pm. No wait and we sat outside in front of the restaurant across from the park in the center of Lakeland. We had the Cuban chicken wrap sandwich, fried grouper sandwich and the Cuban bistec sandwich. 2 of us had the house salad and house dressing and one had the beans and rice - everything was delicious. read more

Great food, lots of options. Awesome customer service. My wife and I dined here on a couple of occasions and the team has taken great care of us. Ambiance is classy and a real treat in Lakeland. read more

So far my favorite place in Lakeland. Food is delicious. Ambiance is perfect and great service. So far my number one place to celebrate my birthday read more

Nineteen 61- what a gem for Lakeland. This restaurant is a beautiful take on South American fine dining. The food preparation, flavors and plating were executed fantastically. A perfect place for a delicious, romantic dinner or celebratory occasion. read more