Overpriced and not that good of quality. The snapper fish? It was fried and in chunks.. that isn't gourmet. The plantains were hard. The pollo vija (chicken and rice) was just a bowl of rice with a burn chicken leg on top then some chunks of fatty chicken throughout. Disappointing and not much flavor. The Yuca fries were flavorless and greasy. We spent over $100 here. Never again. If you want delicious and authentic, and a little cheaper? Go to the historical COLUMBIA restaurant in Tampa area. It's beautiful and the cuisine is authentic as well as flavorful, and they give warm comforting piece of Cuban bread before the meal with fresh butter. Thank me later. read more

This is probably my wife's favorite restaurant in Lakeland for celebrating major occasions. The food generally has good flavor though portion sizes can be a little smaller. I've never seen the Picanha on the menu before but I was well rewarded for the risk. The steak itself was juicy and delicious while the side potatoes and cherries were covered in an equally delicious sauce. I've also never had anything like those sweet drop peppers which was a delightful experience as well. Most of the desserts are so small it's not really worth it but they taste decent if you need just a small splash of sweetness to finish off your meal. read more

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Just visited Nineteen 61 for brunch! The food reminded me of Miami, rich Cuban food with a twist! Appetizer calamari had a great topping with a sweet & spicy sauce it was amazing! Vaca frita was food to my soul! Churrasco was cooked perfectly and so juicy with best yuca con mojo! All in all our server Jordan was amazing, service was over all good, food was out quick! Ambiance was amazing! read more

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Service was very good. We sat at the bar. I had the Traditional Pisco cocktail. It was on point and cold. I actually ordered a second one and it was consistently good. The ceviche was on point as well. I had the Brussel sprouts as my meal and my husband had the fried grouper sandwich. Both were large enough portions. It was a very good experience. read more

Nineteen 61 - Pisco Sour. - Latin American Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

We dedicated to stop in for lunch to grab a bite to eat quick before leaving town. Thankfully they had open lounge seating because it was booked out for their typically restaurant seating with reservations! We were immediately sat in the lounge/bar area & greeted promptly! One of my favorite parts of their menu was everything was full of flavor and nothing lacked my attention! I ended up getting a pretty basic chicken and veggies meal, but it was filled with flavor! We also got a spicy margarita and a fruit margarita which both were amazing and I would come back just for those! All of our food was hot and everything came out promptly. I will say their food and drinks are on the higher price range, but they have great flavor and are worth the price! Overall I love the taste and flavor, knowing what I'm paying for! I recommend also trying their rooftop bar after eating if you get the chance! read more

Nineteen 61 - Latin American Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

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Waited for over an hour for a burger. The soup came out cold and felt like I was being held hostage. The manager (bearded kid) asked how I was doing and I told him that I've been waiting for a burger for 40 minutes and he assured me that it's tappas of style. I'm very familiar with what it... I was at the restaurant for over an hour. Look at this undercooked burger that I ordered medium eventually to go.... read more

We went for lunch to celebrate our 20th anniversary. Since it was a week dat at lunch it was busy but everything was excellent! The food was amazing. Service was top notch. We got a cozy booth in the back. The glass allowing you to see into the kitchen is lovely. They even printed menus with our names and gave us a card signed by the staff. Space inside is a bit tight so I'd keep it to small intimate but they can accommodate larger parties. read more

Nineteen 61 - Latin American Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

Went there for lunch on a Monday afternoon. Not too crowded and was able to be seated immediately. We were a party of 3 and with one adult beverage and lunch menu spent a little over $100 (with tip). This is far above what I'd consider usually for lunch but it was a special occasion. The food was good and came pretty fast. Maybe I just cheap but this will only be a special occasion place. read more

Nineteen 61 - Latin American Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

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Our 24 year anniversary was really amazing. The small touches made this such a memorable evening. Thanks for your delicious food we will be back again soon. read more

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Consistently a 5 star experience. Working downtown, I much prefer to walk a couple minutes to lunch vs drive. Nineteen61 is my go-to. The food and service is always great, but more importantly I can eat healthy lunches here which is really important to me, and they do a great job of getting me in and out pretty quickly during lunch time. Neal Ward is phenomenal and I genuinely look forward to seeing him when I go. I don't know what I would do without this place. read more

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Everything was great! The small touches such as the happy Anniversary card with the staff signing and our personal menu The food was awesome, the roof top was amazing! definitely will go again! read more

Nineteen 61 - Latin American Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

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Amora was our server! She was amazing. She has some of the best recommendations on food and drinks. All the food that I below was so good amazing She had such a wonderful personality and was so much fun! Her manager angel was also great read more

Food is really good and the atmosphere is really nice for something a little more up scale. I've been here like 10 times already and it never disappoints. read more

We didn't have a reservation, and we were really lucky to get a cocktail table for 2. The hostess was quick to get our table cleaned and ready for us. For an appetizer we had the scallops in lime juice with parm (Conchas a la parmesana) .The espresso martinis were good and made with Baileys. My entree was the Sea bass chimi which came with carrots and mashed potatoes. I did come with a soup or salad. I tried the garbanzo bean soup which was delicious! It's a very cute place that has a bar and cocktail area in the front and a darker cozy dinner area in the back. I parked at hollis garden and walked past the lake to get there. Very nice thing to do on a chill Saturday. Thank you Alexa for your great service! read more

Nineteen 61 - Sea bass chimi entree and pollo saltado and espresso martini - Latin American Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

Absolutely worth the full dining experience! Whether seated at the bar, booth, or table, this restaurants cuisines, drinks, desserts, atmosphere and service are all 5 stars . This downtown Lakeland gem is a popular spot and one of my favorites that has to miss. What adds an even special touch is the occasional table visit by the executive chef at any given time. If you're looking for great quality, delicious, Latin American inspired flavors, then indulge your palate with this 10 out of 10 dining experience. read more

Nineteen 61 - POUTINE CUBANO seared brisket & short rib blend, caramelized onions, yucca fries, seco gravy, queso fresco, salsa criolla, & rocoto aioli - Latin American Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

Definitely will rerun, and may spend a night or two in town. The smiling faces are the most endearing. We came seven minutes before their opening but the staff is very welcoming, and seat us immediately. Thank you. 1961 was the year owner and or chef's parents came to U.S. from Cuba - hope I get this fact right -:). They also have a banquet hall next door. The decor is rustically beautiful. Love the exposed brick walls. Our serve is a beautiful tall girl in short hair, who is just wonderful and attentive - thank you. I like their earthy tableware. We've two small starter plates and a salad: - octopus Pulpo: one of the best octopus I've had - crispy outside and tender inside. - chips avocado - two dips are wonderful and I enjoyed the spicy one more. - 1961 salad with salmon: the dressing is on the sweet side for me but very yummy, and I finished it. The salmon is also cooked to the perfection. Hand soap and cream in the bathroom: soap is wonderful but hand cream is a little watery. Two or three bar tenders have been busy since we sat down. There is a small party, 10 some young women who dressed well. The clientele is from infant to oldies like me and beyond. It's a scene. In and out in a little over an hour. Now heading to their street fair, which is four blocks long, and which is two doors away. This restaurant drew us in and we're very glad to discover a lovely town, kind of like New England quaint town. Will be back soon. read more

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Excellent customer service food choice & quality ambience unmatched. Pricing is competitive w/ most great restaurants around Polk county. read more

Very sophisticated place! We went there for our anniversary & they made a page of the menu wishing us a Happy Anniversary! Complimentary Champagne & the server even gave my bf roses to give me! Food was Phenomenal! We had the whole fried snapper, ceviche, calamari & sashimi. Will definitely be back to try more dishes! read more

Nineteen 61 - Latin American Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

We wanted to find a restaurant to meet my son halfway between Orlando and Bradenton for my birthday. Wow did we hit the jackpot. Amazing. The staff had all signed a birthday card for me and left it in the menu. The menu was also printed with a Happy Birthday to me. The ambiance and food were outstanding as was the service. My only wish is that it was a little closer to where we live. This would be my go to restaurant every time. But we will be back, it's worth the ride. read more

This weekend while visiting Lakeland we decided to dine at a highly-rated Latin Cuban fusion restaurant, as recommended by Yelp reviews. I was impressed by the experience! The restaurant is modern and vibrant! We sat at the bar because it was pretty busy, which is a good thing. We ordered the Calamari Fritos, Pollo a la Brasa, and Churrasco Steak. Each dish was amazing. And can't forget we had some delightful espresso martinis!! fantastic dining experience and would certainly return in the future. read more

Nineteen 61 - Espresso Martini "Twin Espresso" - Latin American Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

Dining at Nineteen 61 was a treat for three reasons: 1) The service was fabulous. 2) The food was delicious. 3) Someone else was paying. This is one of those gorgeous restaurants you will ever step into, and the service is just as good. It's been a while since I ate there, and I honestly can't remember all the dishes we had, but the food that we had was delicious. Now it is a little pricey, but as I said, someone else was paying, which made it that much more fun . Parking was not the easiest, so I parked about 100 yards away, but it was a nice night and I enjoyed the walk. read more

Nineteen 61 - Sea Bass - Latin American Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

Excellent in all categories My wife absolutely loved it. Great experience Thank you read more

This will now be my go-to Lakeland restaurant when I am in town. Wow- the food here is so good. The quality of the food + the taste was just great. I went with a group of coworkers and every single person commented that their dish was delicious. I personally ordered the garbanzo bean soup and the Churrasco steak and had absolutely no regrets. The churrasco steak was cooked to absolute perfection. Super tender and juicy at a perfect medium rare. As a group we got several appetizers and each one was good on its own. The brussel sprouts was super flavorful, the plantain chips with salsa and avocado mouse was the right level of crispy and thin, and the ceviche was fresh. I felt full after my soup and somehow still ended up finishing my whole churrasco steak + a side of Mac and cheese somehow. I could not stop singing the praises of the food that night and the next day. Highly recommend for folks to check out for a special occasion. The ambiance was upscale with the waiters and waitresses being super friendly and helpful with food suggestions. They genuinely seemed to love the food themselves when they were providing recommendations for what to order. A couple coworkers also grabbed a few cocktails and they said the drinks were also really well made. Overall 10/10 meal where we were all super satisfied with dinner. Will be back again! read more

Very very good Last minute decision to go while out with our dog. We sat outside. Very well shaded area. Unfortunately no pictures. We will absolutely be back. Had: -old fashioned -macho margarita - just perfect level of spice -sea bass tacos - lightly breaded on corn tortillas -Peruvian fried rice with chicken - so good, wish they offered a trio option where you could get chicken shrimp and steak Being gluten free and dairy free I had a hard time deciding what to get. Many good options. Service was nice. We made a reservation online about 30 minutes before arrival. Front patio was full but our table was waiting for us. Attentive hostess and servers. You could see that they assist each other. read more

Me and my husband love this place. The food is always so good and the drinks too. We always come back!!

The atmosphere is quite warm from the very start, walking in the door we were greeted right away despite a busy Saturday night crowd, checked in for our reservation, and seated in beautiful dining area. We were celebrating my wife's birthday, and when confirming the reservation they kindly asked my wife's name. Little did we know they would print a CUSTOM MENU with her name on it, and a birthday card was signed by the staff. Nice touch! The service was top notch, water glasses never reached more than half empty, menu suggestions were spot on. Somehow, the food OUTSHINED the service! Every bite was crafted to perfection, and I thought the execution on the total experience justified the overall price quite nicely Not only will we be back, but we will absolutely be brining friends and family along for the ride! Well done to the chef, the servers and wait staff, the bartenders (even rooftop ) , and the entire team on creating a nice memory, and an excellent restaurant here in lakeland read more

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

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Love this restaurant- we always get the ceviche! One of my other favorites is their sea bass tacos (grilled not fried). Their craft cocktails are so good, you'll get one or two! read more

Let's start off with the location . It is in the heart of downtown Lakeland. If you looking for Latine Cuisine , then this is your spot. Cubans and Peruvian infused. The restaurant is situated in a perfect spot to check out after having some drinks or just walking around downtown Lakeland. The location is in demand that there was no inside seating because everything is by reservation ( keep that in mind) in which it is very understandable. So we sat outside in which was fine because they had fans and ACs ... if I may recommend something. Please buy those fly fans for the table it will make guests wayyyy more happy. The food delicious. Not 1 complaint about anything. Everything we ordered was very yummy. I believe meadow was our waitress and she was nothing but kind super helpful and always checking up on us. Will be coming back ... 9.0/10 for sure read more

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Showed up at 4pm and found they only served a limited menu until 5pm: if I would have seen that on Yelp I wouldn't have made the 40-minute drive to check out the restaurant read more

We ate at Nineteen61 after months of reading great reviews and planning to go. The Food was excellent as expected with a pleasant atmosphere for conversation with our best friends. We started with the Plantain Chips and Avocado Mousse which was crazy good - a lovely salty sweet crunch with the smooth creaminess of the avocado mousse paired perfectly with the Italian Poderi Chiara Moscato D Asti sparking wine. The Soups and Salads were enjoyed by all. We both got the Delmonico Steaks: a basted 24oz hand cut angus boneless ribeye, served with caramelized onion butter and the smoked broccolini. A luscious thick steak big enough for two and deserving of its $67 price. We finished with a flourless chocolate ganache raspberry cake and a Birthday Boy Complementary Guava Cheesecake. Both served with special coffees. Overall a very special meal with great friends that will bring us to Lakeland frequently. read more

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Everything here was amazing from the moment we arrived until we left the server was great and the food was delicious as well as the drinks. Definitely plan on returning. read more

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I came to Nineteen 61 one a work lunch and could not have been more impressed! (speaking for myself and my coworkers). We were nervous because we didn't think to make a reservation, but we were able to be seated right away, which was incredible! Our server, Jenny, was incredible at her job, and extremely attentive! She recommended the Tacos al pastor special, which is what I got, and it was delicious! I'm very apprehensive about paying more than 5$ for tacos, but these were incredible! I loved the combination of sweet and savory flavors! The yuca fries and empanadas were phenomenal as well! We loved the atmosphere and ended our visit with a cup of coffee. I definitely will need to come back again! read more

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

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First time, we had a great bartender Jacob and an amazing prime rib brunch, to cap it off cafe con leche! Best one since Tio Pepe' in Clearwater Fl. We will be back and bring friends. read more

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

Met some friends in the cute town of Lakeland. This place was on my hit list since it was Spanish and listed very high with Yelpers. Weather in Florida, fantastic. We had outdoor seating and there were heat lamps if needed. Server was awesome, very patient and accommodating. He provided recommendations and answered our five million questions. A couple of us split the pitcher of red Sangria($40+). I had the most amazing Seafood Paella. I was not a fan of octopus and our server was able to add more shrimp and skip the octo. Dessert was so delicious. We split the tres leches. It's pricey here but worth the food and service. read more

Nineteen 61 - Seafood Paella - Latin American Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

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Such an amazing lunch! Been wanting to try this place since it opened and finally went today for my birthday. We had a great experience, the ambiance was perfect, the food was delicious, and very friendly and knowledgeable staff. Can't wait to go back. read more

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I went there for the first time the other night. Let me just say the service was phenomenal, I got the filet with mancengo risotto and finished it off with tres leche cake. Everything was absolutely amazing. From the decor, service, and food. Hands down my favorite place to eat, a bit pricey but well worth it read more

For a recent celebration of life event, I made a last minute call to check on availability at nineteen 61. I got lucky. Kerri was my point of contact and within minutes i received a proposal and a contract for the event. Upon arrival the venue was perfect and everything was in place. Justis the Banquet manager was in charge and we never felt unattended. Any plate or glass set down after use disappeared by the nija like staff. All food and beverage items were perfectly fresh and well presented. One thing I always tell anyone planning my event, is we never want to run out or or short on anything. There was a constant flow of hors d'oeuvres and plenty of if wonderful signature dishes that Nineteen 61 does so well. Thank you so much for turning a sad and somber day into an amazing time of celebration and fellowship. It will always be remembered and appreciated by our family and friends. Sincere thanks. Please consider the wonderful owners and staff when considering your next event. No dissappointments!! read more

Nineteen 61 - Vasco Sixty-One - Latin American Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

Omg the food was so gosh darn salty! Like flavorful is one thing but salty is just wow. Both risottos were so salty and I couldn't eat them. I was excited to try the black been & the cheese version but one bite, my blood pressure wouldn't take it. The steak was really good but the seasoning with the chimichurri sauce was just too much. I'm starting to think salt is the culture in Florida but I won't let Lakeland speak for all of Florida. The French 75 was good but who can mess it up really? It's not a hard drink. The one thing I did enjoy was the garbanzo bean and chorizo soup! The soup was not salty at all and the flavors speaker for themselves! The bread was very gooey and wasn't my favorite. The ambiance is beautiful and attractive! I heard customers are able to rent their own wine lockers. read more

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Since I'm from South Florida I had ZERO expectations for this place... well I am beyond impressed by the flavor of their food!!! WOW! Tastes just like being in Miami maybe even better than some places I've been. ! The staff was wonderful and it's located in a cute little area with street parking. Love the bar and lounge area , the music is great and all the historical Cuban paintings are hanging up. Definitely a MUST if you are in the Lakeland area! read more

Nineteen 61 - Vaca Frita "The Original" Lunch - Latin American Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

I couldn't recommend this establishment enough. The inside was beautiful and it felt very private, even though it was busy. In addition, the service was better than any restaurant I've ever been to in my life. My boyfriend took me there for my birthday and the restaurant gave me a handwritten card signed by the entire staff, as well as complimentary champagne and dessert. The food was also absolutely delicious, and very filling. It may be a pricier dinner option but in my opinion it was very worth it, and we're already talking about going back. read more

Nineteen 61 - Arroz con Pollo - Latin American Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

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