Great experience as always. This is our favorite fine dining rest in tampa by far. Their service is great and their food matches. Flavors are amazing and everything is obviously made in house. Suggest making a reservation to be sure that you can get in! read more

Nineteen 61 - Chips, Avocado Mousse, and 61 Salsa Lunch - Latin American Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

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Such a cool place! Great vibe, cool service, awesome drinks and delicious food! While in town for work we grabbed a lunch here and I can tell you I will definitely be back next time I am in Lakeland. Ceviche, Brussels sprouts and churrasco steak were so good! I highly recommend this spot! read more

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We have been going to 1961 for a while and always love it, but wow... something has happened to take it to a whole new level. The food has always been outstanding and really good service, but the service today felt as close to 5 star as I have ever felt apart from cruises with butlers! Wyatt did such a wonderful job, and a lovely lady never let our water glasses fall below half full. I have a feeling it might be the Maitre'd Neal Ward. I have not seen him there before and the ambiance he is helping to create is incredible. I cannot wait to go back! read more

My hotel suggested this place. I looked it up and the menu looked pretty good. Lots of food choices. I had to try it. I walked over and didn't have a reservation. I got a seat at the bar, my fav. Liz and Taylor were the bartenders. Iasked for a recommendation. I then asked about the Chaufa. Liz said it was Devine! So I had to order the chaufa con pollo. The guy next to me ordered and got the Churasco. It looked and smelled amazing. The place was getting real busy and loud. The music was just right. I finally got my meal. The guy next to me said it looked and smelled really good. I took a bite and agreed with him. It was. The girls were attentive and kept asking if I was OK? My drink was refilled multiple times. I finished and was offered dessert. Tres Leche was the choice. It was also very good. Both dishes were different than i have had in the past. But really good in their own way. The chaufa was tasty and full of chicken. The tres leche was not drowning in leche. It was just right. The cake was moist but didn't fall apart. This place was awesome. The food was good. The service was excellent. Liz was great and entertaining. This is a must of you're only in town for a night. You will love Nineteen 61. read more

Had Mother's Day brunch here today. The food was incredible! The service was great. We got the warmest greeting from the owner, the service was excellent and the flowers and instagram photo spot was the perfect touch! This is becoming one of our favorite restaurants read more

Nineteen 61 - So much food! - Latin American Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

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I recently stopped by Nineteen61 while visiting Lakeland. I was looking for a tasty lunch and I definitely found it here. I stopped in on a Saturday afternoon for lunch. I grabbed a seat at the bar and admired their selection. The had a solid cocktail menu so I started with one. I looked over the food menu and went with the vaca frita. The bartender took good care of me while I was there The food came out quickly and it looked great. The beef was nice and tender and the flavor was great. The beans, rice, egg, and plantains complimented the meal really well. I really enjoyed my meal. My brunch visit to nineteen61 was a success. The food and cocktails were on point. I look forward to my next visit to explore the dinner menu. read more

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

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Absolutely lovely place! Classy, high end, hot spot. Went for a first date. Sat at the bar first. Then moved to our table. Get reservations! I don't want to take photos of my food on a first date. I usually take pics but didn't want to scare him off. Great food, exceptional service. I'll be back! read more

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

4.75* (out of 5) Food: 5* Atmosphere: 5* Value: 4* Service: 5* 09/30/2023 This place was recommended by our son who lives in the area and has been here for lunch since it is near his latest worksite. This is a top-notch restaurant and was quite impressive - what I would have expected to find in downtown Tampa. Everything about the experience was excellent, with the only ding I can give it based on value - as it is a bit pricey. This was a bit of a brunch stop for us, so we ate fairly lightly. My wife ordered the Arroz Chaufa Pollo Lunch (see picture) and 1961 Side Salad (see picture), my son ordered the Classic '61 Tacos (see picture) and I ordered the Peruvian Ceviche (see picture). As is our custom, we all shared bites from each others orders and all really enjoyed all of these dishes, so would highly recommend them. The ceviche was creamy and tangy, the arroz chaufa pollo was moist and flavorful and the tacos were zesty, cheesy and delicious! If you are looking for a great lunch or dinner stop in Lakeland, especially if it is a special occasion worthy of a bit of a splurge, Nineteen 61 will not disappoint you. If you found this review helpful, please show your appreciation with a Like or a Follow. Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com read more

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This restaurant really took me by surprise. I didn't expect to find a place like this in Plant City but we did. I started out my meal with a Moscow mule and some empanadas. The empanadas were Betty tasty. The breading was flaky and the beef was extra juicy. The mule could've been a bit better. For my main entree I had the center cut pork chop. I don't usually eat much pork but this cut of pig was irresistible. It was so succulent and juicy. The sides weren't as memorable. read more

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The Basics: Nineteen 61 is a Spanish-style restaurant in Lakeland, Florida. The menu has many great options, the restaurant is beautiful, and the food was delicious. Things I like: The service and food were both incredible at this spot. Since it was our first time visiting this restaurant, they offered us glasses of champagne on the house. We started with the empanadas, which were so flavorful and perfectly done. I also enjoyed the Pollo Mexicana. Our table split a pitcher of the red sangria and we loved it as it wasn't too sweet. Things I didn't like: Nothing! Everything was delicious! Overall, this is an amazing restaurant to visit in Lakeland! An overall wonderful experience! read more

Nineteen 61 - Pollo Mexicana - Latin American Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

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I did not realize that the inside environment was a bit fancy. Don't wear your gym clothes! Upon entry, we were greeted by the host and seated at one of the tables by the door. The inside is small: there's a bar and about 6 tables in the front; a few pass the bar area. We weren't offered the option to sit outside. Service was timely. They gave us a free champagne for being first time visitors; definitely a nice touch. The restaurant vibes are a bit stiff; feels like you almost have to whisper to the person you're dining with and the waitresses were very "to the point." Therefore, I do not recommend this place as a first-date spot or somewhere to laugh and gather with friends. Maybe dinner has a different vibe, as this was happy hour. The reason I'm giving this location a 4, rather than 3 for service, is because the food was amazing! I've been thinking about the calamari and empanadas since I left. Their happy hour menu is limited and the only menu offered during 3-5pm (such a short HH). I will return solely for the food. Update: We arrived again on a Sunday at 3pm (rather than weekday), but they were serving drinks only. Kind of disappointing since the website says happy hour daily. read more

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Amazing food, great atmosphere , superior service. Have been there many times while I live in Lakeland and no the I live in Palm Coast , going back for Christmas and to celebrate my 40th wedding anniversary on the 26th. Second time eating there on my anniversary. read more

Vasco Rooftop - nicely made drinks. Main restaurant- nicely made drinks dishes and excellent table service by our waiter. Only disappointment was that their churrasco, although tender as promised, was a flap not a skirt steak. Empanadas were really flaky n We had several other delicious plates. read more

Beautiful and perfect location downtown Lakeland. The atmosphere, decor, and over all vibe of the restaurant is incredible. I was greeted immediately, sat at the bar with my gf, had a nice cocktail by a very attentive bartender named "Brian" and had the most delicious salad I have had in a long time. Would definitely return. read more

Nineteen 61 - 1961 Salad with Salmon - Latin American Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

We celebrated our 29th anniversary here, and enjoyed every aspect of our dinner. We were a little early, so we were invited to get drinks at the rooftop bar, which we did. Waitstaff, drinks, and the appetizer we shared were terrific. When it was time for our reservation, we went downstairs and were seated promptly. Our server, Zack, was, as the manager described, a treat. Attentive, warm, friendly, knowledgeable, helpful ...just a delight overall. He really enhanced our dining experience. The personalized menu was a nice touch, and we enjoyed the complimentary champagne that arrived shortly after we were seated. The ceviche was fresh, zippy, and delicious, and the suggested plantain chips went with it beautifully. Great for scooping, and added a nice crunch. We split a 1961 salad, which is one of my favorites, and, as usual, was fresh and flavorful. My grouper saltado had a flavorful sauce, and the grouper was tender and well cooked. I enjoyed the chaufa that accompanied it as well. Gray's pork shoulder was equally tender, and delicious. We also enjoyed the dessert we shared, which was like a chocolate mousse cake, but, sadly, I cannot recall its name. I prefer a booth, but we were seated at a table, however, the seats were super comfortable, so I didn't mind. Overall, a wonderful experience for our special occasion. We'll be sure to return. read more

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Friendly service & really pretty environment! Took my mom & sister. Great pisco, cevchi! Definitely coming again when im in town.

Great service overall i definitely recommend this place to anyone that lives local or around town read more

Nineteen 61 - Latin American Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

Instead of writing a whole new review, I'll paste the personal review I shared with the restaurant. I'd also post their reply if I'd received one. First, I would like to recognize Savannah. I called and spoke with her around noon regarding our very special 5:45 pm reservation. I informed her that my girlfriend and I would be driving an hour and a half because we had heard such great things about your restaurant from her parenting network and I confirmed via Yelp reviews. After explaining how special of an occasion it was, Savannah informed me of several pleasantly surprising options you offered. BTW, having your staff sign the surprise card is brilliant. Upon arrival, we were welcomed and promptly sat. For context, this was our first date since her two-year-old was born, and this was the first time her son had been left with a babysitter. Although quite loud for a romantic evening, your establishment is visually appealing. We found the staff to all be welcoming as well. I want to avoid referring to our waiter by name. He is a fine young man. From the beginning, I appreciated his awareness of the call I had made earlier about how this was a memorable evening--good communication from Savannah. We were there to enjoy the experience your website speaks of and what we'd heard about. We found it incredibly difficult to relax with our wine when our waiter popped in almost every six minutes asking if we were ready to order. Kudos for him wanting to turn and burn tables. However, that's also why I expressed to him when we were sat that we would be "renting" his table, which would be reflected in the tip. I have no qualms tipping 30%+ for our tab, plus an additional 30%+ for taking up a table that might have been able to be sat again if our time exceeded an hour or so. I apologize. My goal was to provide feedback on our experience for your consideration. However, this has become long-winded (my lack of brevity). We did place our order after giving up on not being disturbed. My girlfriend's meal arrived well-timed from the kitchen (10-12 minutes, my estimation), although a little quick as we had yet to feel like we'd had a chance to settle in (no fault of the kitchen). After several minutes of encouraging her to eat before her food got cold, we inquired about the whereabouts of my entree. The server promptly apologized and took full accountability for not submitting the order. A miscommunication also happened at this time. When such a mistake has been made, especially given the overall context, and I hear that my "meal will be taken care of," I was surprised to find it on the check. I gently communicated as such to the server. I understand the high-stress levels of being a server, so maybe I was too passive in expressing my feelings at that point. He said he would check with the manager to see what could be done. I was shocked that not only did he inform us that the manager was not willing to adjust the check, but no one visited our table afterward to apologize or to check on us. Only the table directly behind us during that time. Also of note: I was pleasantly surprised when making the reservation to be asked about special diets, food allergies, restrictions, etc. I was impressed by your system being able to note my girlfriend is a pescetarian. That gave me confidence in the kitchen and showed how this restaurant does have it together, starting with the reservations. She loves paella but is still unsure if that's the entree she received-And she's one-quarter Spanish. I was caught off guard that having mentioned my guest being a pescetarian; she had to sift through pieces of ham. She felt like saying any of the troubles with her dish were too much after the challenges with mine. She gracefully requested that I not bring it to anyone's attention. It may have been a miscommunication or an error that could have been quickly resolved. However, she doesn't like to make a "fuss." I hope sharing our experience helps to improve your business. read more

OMG what an amazing dining experience. The attention to detail given to beverages and dishes is exceptional. The service was on point and the only slip up was an improper cava being poured. It was comped. Our table ordered the Peruvian ceviche to share with was delish. The flavors meshed and even though we were told it was spicy it was not spicy to anyone in our party. At $18 this starter was small but the quality was worth the price. Additionally, we ordered beef empanadas it comes as an order of 3 for $12. This was very much worth the price. The dough is made fresh on site daily. The flavor is better than any other empanada I've ever tasted. You could taste the love and freshness in the pastry. Finally, for my main, I'm a sucker for vaca frita so I had to try the version. It was not as dry as I'm accustomed but the flavor was exceptional. It was worth $23. Reflecting how on point the attention to detail, the server asked how I wanted my egg prepared though the menu offers it Sunnyside up. Finally, for dessert I shared their Gran Marnier creme brulee. The Flavor of the Gran Marnier really came though in the dessert. I would definitely order this dessert again. Def suggest this restaurant for any celebration, date or just a fine dining experience. read more

I've had ropa vieja from many restaurants but this is hands down the best I've ever had!! It was soo good, the service was slow but food was amazing! read more

Your search is over. This is the place to eat when you're in downtown Lakeland. Outstanding service. Warm decor. And amazing entrées. The only reason I gave it four stars is because we all agreed the desserts were a miss. They're try hard, overcomplicated, and underwhelming. But aside from that, we had an amazing dinner and will be back. read more

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Amazing flavorful food. We went here for lunch, and the prices were reasonable, service was friendly, and we will for sure come back.

Went there for the first time a few months ago and had a great time. Our waiter was very knowledgeable about the menu and served us complimentary champagne with our meal. My husband loved his meal and said it was the best steak he had ever had. I ordered a special that I wasn't too keen about, but I think it was just not for me. Our appetizer was amazing. Service was prompt and friendly. We are returning this weekend for lunch. read more

We had a good time here.... Our service was great thanks to Cullen and my food was amazing from the guacamole and chips appetizer to the fried rice dinner meal I thoroughly enjoyed it only criticism I can give is that some of the food was lukewarm and we'd prefer it to be served hot. The ambiance indoors was amazing and the outdoor seating was nice and quaint I would highly recommend ! read more

Nineteen 61 - Cocktail and outside seating - Latin American Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

Everything about this gem was phenomenal. Great service, delicious food, beautiful ambiance. Cody provided an unforgettable experience and made awesome recommendations. We can't wait to come back for another date night. read more

We went here for our wedding anniversary, and it was absolutely perfect. From the champagne to the food to the menu personalization- just perfect! We had empanadas, shrimp ceviche, Hawaiian beef stew, a whole fish, and their steak. All delicious. read more

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Amazing Food , Great Service and Fun Atmosphere. Nineteen 61 is the place to go if you are around the Lakeland area but best is doing reservations read more

This place is the best. The food is delicious. Service is great. Friendly people and no rush to get you out. Great dining experience.

Great brunch spot on the weekends. Perfect scenery, menu, and flavors that explode in your mouth.

The service was great and so was the food. My grandkids took me for my birthday & I can honestly say I would recommend this restaurant. The attention they had for me cus it being my birthday was un real Once again nice place to have a nice dinner read more

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Great service! The brunch was a perfect selection of sweet and savory. Best Nashville chicken and waffles I've had, ever. Their Argentinian Hash was on point...we used the comeback sauce from the chicken and waffles on it and that was so yum! Their atmosphere is clean and cozy. Loud, but not too loud, I could still hear my husband across the table just fine. Nice walk to the restaurant in a quaint part of Lakeland. read more

I've reviewed Nineteen 61 multiple times and have visited the restaurant many more times since my last review. Nineteen 61 is still, by far, the best restaurant in Lakeland and one of the best restaurants in Florida. Every dish I have ever tried has been phenomenal. On my most recent visit I finally splurged on a dish I have wanted to try for a long time: The Delmonico ($67). I am glad I did because this was one of the best steaks I have ever tried! The meat was cooked a perfect medium rare, was heavenly melt in your mouth buttery, and had the perfect amount of saltiness and char. If you have not tried Nineteen 61 yet, do yourself a favor and make reservations asap! read more

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I've been living in Lakeland for yearssss and never visited this establishment until yesterday. The food was amazing, the service was awesome and the drinks were delicious. My server Tristan was so friendly and polite. The Maitre D Dean was very professional and welcoming. I ordered the PAN CON BISTEC sandwich, the Beef empanadas for appetizer and The walk in the park margarita. Everything was so good. I can't wait to go back! read more

Love this spot. Nice clean restaurant. Great service. They welcome you with a free glass of wine as first timer. Managers and staff all welcome you. Food is awesome. read more

Plainly put.... Awesome food and service. I haven't been disappointed yet. I love the playful samplings of foods and the quality in food selections by the chef. I want to come for brunch. So far it's just been for dinner. read more

I WISHED my birthday experience was better than it was. This was our first time at Nineteen 61. I will begin with our server being 10/10. Nothing was his fault and he was very attentive. We had a reservation for 6:30 on a Sunday and arrived on time to check in. They let us know our table was still being prepared, no problem. We waited. 20 minutes passed until we were finally seated. We were starving at that point so we ordered our meals shortly after we sat down. We got a complimentary cheese bread bites appetizer and a complimentary Amuse-bouche appetizer. Our food didn't arrive at the table until 8pm. I wish I was exaggerating. Our server felt bad and brought out more cheese bread at one point. The food that finally came out: good...except my dad got his steak WELL well done instead of medium so he had to wait another 20 minutes for a new steak and shared my brother's plate and then they shared his when it came. It was just not a pleasant wait. We were patient and didn't bother the server and then he realized how long we'd been waiting and felt bad. They gave us $8 off my dad's meal when I personally think it should have been comped or at least 50% comped. We waited an hour and he still didn't have his meal right. The good: they greeted me with a special menu of my own that said happy birthday, they provided a complimentary dessert for me with a sweet birthday card signed by the staff, and the server was exceptional. The food was both pretty and delicious. A little rich. Maybe we will try it again. I don't know. We didn't end up leaving the restaurant until 9pm. 2.5 hours to eat a one course meal is a bit much.... read more

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Food was delicious! We try ceviche, steak, salmon, cheesecake Service was amazing read more

Nineteen 61 - Chipotle Salmon - Latin American Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

I don't give out five star reviews often but when your food is consistently this good, staff always on point, and the vibe is great it, 1961 has earned it. read more

Nineteen 61 - Latin American Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

This was our first time coming to this restaurant and it was phenomenal! Our waiter was Zach and he treated us like we were the only table - meaning he was super attentive to us, answered all our questions, and gave wonderful suggestions. Since it was our first time, they gave us both a free glass of bubbly :-D We got the poutine cubano with egg as an appetizer. For our main course my partner got the churrasco steak with a black bean risotto and I got the filet mignon with manchego risotto. For dessert we got the guava cheese cake and the tres leche. Truly one of the best meals ever! read more

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When we arrived the staff was almost bothered with us because we did not have a reservation. We waited an 1.5 hours while two tables were not used the whole time we were there. The food was good not great just good but your do not get much for the money you spend. I ordered the Wok Grouper and there was very little grouper in the dish. There was six of us and no one was very happy with their food. The waitress offered salads like they came with the meal, but they did not! The side salad ended up costing $13. We went to the upstairs bar while waiting for a table. The drink was good, but it was a coconut drink that tasted like lemonade. None of the six of us will ever go there again. read more