I'm a huge fan of all the small local restaurants in historic downtown Sanford. This one is fantastic.They have amazing food - live music and a charming covered outdoor patio.It is a pet friendly area that we take our dog to often.I enjoy the chill vibes at The Breezeway Restaurant and Bar.It's delish. read more

We went on a Saturday afternoon and sat outside. The name is very appropriate because we had a nice breeze sitting outside. There was a guitarist singing, which added to the fun ambiance. Our server was excellent. The food is made fresh and is delicious. We had the chicken wings which are served with a roasted garlic Parmesan sauce. I'm not a chicken wing person and I LOVED these. They have a lot of meat on the wings. The house salad is delicious and made with fresh veggies. My friends had the shrimp and grits and said it was the best they have ever had. The $8 cocktails were quality drinks at an excellent price. There is free street parking. They have indoor and outdoor seating. There is an outside bar. When in Sanford, I would definitely stop by again to try more of the menu. read more

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We stopped here on our way to Orlando for a little trip and were pleasantly surprised. First of all, the little town of Sanford is adorable if you've never been, it's definitely worth a stop to take a walk through the antique shops, restaurants, bars, and many other things we didn't get a chance to see. There is a main restaurant inside but it is very small and basically just a bar with a few tables, but I think most people come to sit outside in the actual "breezeway" between the two buildings. They have tvs, a bar and string lights, which I bet is so romantic at night! My husband is from Indiana, so the "Sanford special" pork tenderloin is what drew him in originally. As you can see in the pictures, it's NO JOKE. Most pork tenderloins in Indy are the same way, just gigantic. There is a bun underneath all that meat with lettuce, tomato, pickles and a sauce that comes with it (delish). You can also choose to have an extra "set up" for $3 which is all the fixings and bun for a whole other sandwich if you wanted to share it with someone...which you will. Unless you want to be in pain the rest of the day. Lol. We also ordered the cheese curds with marinara as an appetizer-they were very cheesy and were fried perfectly. I ordered the Floridian burger which is topped with fried jalapeños, onion strings and queso on a brioche bun. It was extremely messy, but it was also great! The two drinks we ordered-the hurricane and swamp water were amazing. Very fruity and tropical. Overall, this was absolutely a place we will be stopping at on our way south so we can try more food! read more

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Second time here. Catching the train tomorrow. Food was great and so was the service!

Wow ! This is my first time at this establishment and all I can say is wow! I sat at the bar , and Nikki was my server she was very friendly and attentive to me. She recommended for me to get the Sanford special and it was so good ! The breading was very good , good crisp and was a perfect golden brown, not to mention it's bigger than the plate itself almost . Ate some now and had enough to eat twice later definitely worth the price of about $17. My friend had the fish which also looked prefect! read more

The Breezeway - The Sanford Special Sandwich - New American Near Me - Sanford, Florida

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great food and good selection. our server was so nice, gave recommendations, quick service 10/10! we forget her name but she had long dark hair. patio was a great ambiance. good for lunch but it gets a bit busy later in the day read more

We were going to be celebrating a special birthday with the family in a few days and wanted to find a nice local spot that would accommodate our party of 5 and had a nice ambiance. Then I remembered that we had passed the Breezeway many times in the past and always wanted to try it out. So I called to make reservations and the gentleman who answered was extremely nice and set us up for a 7pm rsvp. Fast forward to the day of the celebration and we were running a bit late, so I called again to push our dinner rsvp back a half hour and add another guest to our party. This time a woman answered and was just as nice and accommodating, reassuring me everything was fine and not a problem. Anyone who reads my reviews knows that I am a complete stickler for customer service and my experience with breezeway thus far has been not-notch! We arrive and are seated inside all the way to the back with a long table. It was a perfect location because it was private, away from the crowd, and provided space as the inside is pretty small and tight. We ordered the fried calamari for our appetizer and it was slightly gummy but it was ok. The dish was nicely presented with a side of marinara. The ladies ordered drinks but I don't know what they were other than it was clear with blueberry in it. I took a sip and it tasted real watered down so I could not tell what type of alcohol it contained but either way I didn't like it. I ordered the jumbo shrimp with fries and immediately noticed how huge the shrimp were and how many came with the meal. They were tasty and I definitely enjoyed the shrimp but the fries weren't crispy. Other meals that were ordered were the Mahi with vegetables. I tired a bite and was surprised at how thick the fish was and had a nice sweet taste from the topping it had. Another meal was the 16oz rib eye with twice baked potato. In my opinion the steak was huge but lacked flavor and the baked potato was surprisingly was good. The fish sticks kiddie meal has two enormous pieces and for a picker eater, the lil lady really enjoyed it. And finally, the corned beef sandwich which I was told was seemingly Over-cooked and tough but didn't taste bad. It did look good and large portioned. Overall, we had a good experience but was pretty average at best. I guess I expected better. The food and drinks weren't great but the staff was delightful aside from our waitress who seemed like she was brand new to the service industry (maybe her first week on the job?). With all of that said, I would definitely return because the staff was nice and the ambiance is cool and food was decent. read more

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Today I tried the Breezeway for the 1st time at lunch We tried getting a table outside, but the background music was too loud for us to hear each other, so we went inside. (must you? at noon?) Inside has mostly 2-seater high tops, and our table + my chair was rocking back& forth on the uneven tile floor (yes, it's historic, and let's don't change that..so fine...) The fried cod was very good, but he french fries were flavorless and the accompanying coleslaw was too, as well as too stringy to pick up; unless you wa to use your fingers . Still, it was fun for a new experience. read more

Absolutely fantastic place. Outdoor dining in a great location. Delicious food and very generous portions. Loved the ambiance and the service was amazing. Our server was Fae and she was incredible and had a great attitude. Highly recommended read more

The Breezeway Restaurant is aptly named, being located in a breezeway between two buildings in the downtown area of Sanford and provides a shaded refuge from the heat. As many places downtown are closed on Monday's or close at 5:00, Breezeway provides a good spot to wait. I was delighted to find a live two person "band" providing music, an unexpected treat on Monday. Unfortunately, Breezeway doesn't offer happy hour drinks or appetizers. Bummer! As Breezeway has a casual, relaxed, outdoor bar atmosphere, I really expected a happy hour, especially as appetizers and drinks are not cheap. My shrimp spicy shrimp appetizer was $11.99. The shrimp appetizer contained a dinner portion of shrimp; shrimp covered the dinner-size plate. This makes the shrimp a good deal if the appetizer is split with a group or for a dinner meal - not my case. The spicy shrimp's Thai sauce is a little spicy. The shrimp is served around a scoop of light, refreshing, and cool coleslaw. The slaw is slightly dressed and not drowned in dressing, which I greatly appreciated. However, the cabbage was not chopped; instead, the cabbage was left in spaghetti length strips. I am not use to having to twirl or coleslaw; I prefer it pre-cut for easy consumption. We first stopped at the bar. The bar tender was curt and not customer friendly. I had to ask for a menu and then only received the food menu not the drink menu. I had to request the drink menu separately. We quickly switched to a table. The server was super nice and very helpful. She gave helpful suggestions and importantly made sure we were in and out in the time span we needed to be. read more

The Breezeway - Spicy shrimp appetizer in Thai sauce - New American Near Me - Sanford, Florida

So my wife chose this place for her birthday. There was nine of us. I will warn you...do not order anything fried unless you love thick, dry, and overcooked food. Even the eggplant was cooked this way. I really wanted the fish and chips, as I love haddock, but the fried mushrooms, firecracker shrimp, calamari and fish bites all had the same gross batter. The shrimp and grits gets a 6/10, the mahi dish was not fresh. The only thing that was really good, was the fact that it was cold outside, and you were more concerned trying to stay warm, than eat the stuff they they brought out. I figured they couldn't mess up a Cesar salad, but I was wrong. There was enough dressing for 2.5 salads. Again gross. Stay away, unless this is the last restaurant open in Florida, and you don't mind food that isn't fresh, overcooked, or taste good. read more

AMAZING food, attentive wait staff, live music. Will return to try all of the menu items. The Grouper Sandwich, Spicy Shrimp and Mahi smoked fish dip were SUPERB read more

Absolutely great service, the food was amazing. The Breezeway is a must stop place to visit!!! The staff was very friendly and courteous, everything was perfect. Do not miss out on this gem!!!! read more

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This is a restaurant and a bar. It has an indoor and an outdoor bar. I've visited several times, and find they have some of the best bar tender/servers around. Super friendly and attentive - most have worked there for a few years. The food is not all bar food- while they do have some typical bar type food, the menu has much more to offer. Today my daughter had the shrimp and grits, and she rated it as the best she has had. We had fried green tomatoes and a wedge salad also and both were quite tasty- the salad was very fresh - Their burgers are super good too. Definitely going to continue frequenting this spot in historic downtown Sanford. Unfortunately I did not take a photo of the shrimp and grits or the burger today. read more

The Breezeway - Fried green tomatoes- I think it came with five. - New American Near Me - Sanford, Florida

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We had a lovely time here last night on our inadvertent tour of downtown Sanford. After our first restaurant stop was booked, and then a quick jaunt to the distillery, we ended up at the Breezeway for more drinks and food. We sat at the bar while waiting for our table and the gentleman bartender (did not get his name) was great. Once our table was ready we were served by the lovely Sara who was gracious and fun and put up with our crazy little group. She was on top of drinks and orders and everything was correct. We got a variety of dishes. We started with 3 apps - curds, firecracker shrimp, fried mushrooms. They were all tasty and the shrimp definitely had a kick. Aside from my seltzies (white claw) I tried one of their signature drinks, the Summertime. It was delicious and full of blueberries. For our meals there was a BLT (me), a burger (hubs), and then out friends got the fish & chips, Madeira chicken, ribeye, and salmon. Everyone was happy with their meals and plates were mostly empty. The only complaint I had was there was no mayo on my BLT. Hubs had ordered a side of mayo for his fries so I just ended up using some of that but I found it a bit weird for the sandwich to have no spread. But other than that I would stop here again. Even on the warm evening sitting outside it was still comfortable. We were indeed in a breezeway! read more

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Service. Was decent, waited a little bit at a table we were told was ready, but no biggie. Waiter only stopped by every 15-20 minutes, took a long time just to get appetizers, cheese curds were great, everything else was mediocre. Drinks took a while, I ordered a custom mule to be a "Kentucky mule", just bourbon instead of vodka. Good bourbon options, but when I finally tried it, it tasted like bourbon and soda. Anyone who's had this drink knows a spicy ginger beer is needed. I confronted the waiter (which took 15 minutes for them to come back) and was told "I saw him pour it." Basically telling me I'm wrong, and they'll make me a different drink. Not very good service or drinks. read more

Food here is great and the portion size is good. The prices are a little higher then what you will find on their website, they need to update it. You can sit inside or outside. Sometimes they have a one or two man band out on the covered patio. On the weekend it can get loud outside. The outside chairs and tables could use an update. The chairs àre uncomfortable as hell and leave marks on bare legs. Maybe buy some pads for the chairs? Please. I go here once a month and never disappointed with the food. Service is hit and miss depending on how busy it is. Nice bar inside and outside. Inside seating is limited. Dog friendly. Parking is free on the main street or you can park in a parking area next to the welcome center, free. read more

Food was great I had blackened mahi tacos with dirty rice. Service was a little slow to start but then very friendly and on point after. read more

The Breezeway - Outdoor seating. - New American Near Me - Sanford, Florida

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Another visit and another satisfied group. Thursday lunch showed up with 9 adults and 8 kids. Sat quickly. Drinks were quick. Food was a little slow but we put in 16 orders all at once and not in a rush so more than acceptable. Still a little pricey ( 17.99 for fish and chips and 15.99 for burgers and fries? ) But happy and satisfied and will be back. Oh yea our server was top notch. read more

Just had dinner, we were there for over two hours. Service was very slow, new waitress didn't have any experience. Forgot dinner of our guest of honor, manager didn't seem concerned . Several tables got up and left, too bad this restaurant has gone down from what it use to be. read more

After a less than good experience in Mt. Dora, we booked it to Sanford to visit the Breezeway and the trip was well worth it. The bartender was great - helpful, fast, gave good recommendations, and had us wanting for nothing. Salads and blackened fish bites were very nice. We will definitely be returning. read more

Today at 1:30 pm ( for reference of who we dealt with at the hostess station). We went specifically to Sanford to go to the Breezeway which we have enjoyed in the past but after today we are probably going to find somewhere where they care about customer service especially from the hostess who is the first person you meet and represents your restaurant. We asked for a table outside underneath the roof area out of the sun, was told it would be a half hour although there were several empty table back there. After about 1/2 hwe were called back and she proceeded to show is to a table that was along the sidewalk and although it had an umbrella, it was in the sun when we said we asked for a table out of the sun she said this was the only table available as the tables under the roof were being held for a bigger party So even waiting longer was not going to help. My husband asked why she didn't tell us this before we waited for 30 minutes for a table, she just shrugged her shoulders and said that was all there was. So he said ok well guess we have to go elsewhere as that table was in the sun. As we were walking away she said loud enough for us to hear and in front of other customers, "how rude". I don't think we were rude for walking away if you didn't have a table we'd be comfortable spending good money to eat, why would we stay? If you have staff that treat customers like this I question your establishment. By the way, we went to eat elsewhere and we had parked behind the Breezeway, two hours later going back to our car, all those saved tables under the roof out of the sun were still empty. We would have been in and out of there before anyone filled those tables. read more

The place was not crowded on a Sunday night. I just wanted a take out order. Sat at the bar and placed my order: hamburger (overcooked and cold), fish platter (heavy breading), and chicken nuggets. The bartender asked if fries were ok. She should have mentioned they were extra. The one drink was watered down. $48 dollars and it took 50 minutes!!! The reason for writing this review is to make aware that the staff was having WAY too much fun goofing with other staff (juvenile behavior), and with the few locals/friends at the bar. The rest of us were ignored. Invisible. It was difficult to get a staff members attention. Wasn't just me! Kitchen staff can be seen through the door from the bar. They are s.l.o.w and could use some tips on food handling. Hairnets? Hats? Gloves? I loved the concept of an alleyway being transformed into a spirited eatery, but management needs to tighten things up. I'm all for fun but seriously.... read more

What a treat absolutely love this place food was excellent. Fast friendly service !!!

This place is in the heart of historical downtown Sanford. Beautiful courtyard for outdoor dining. The food it's very reasonably price. There's a limited amount of choices, but the food is delicious. Great service and I'm Beyonce definitely will be returning read more

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Typical Bar Food... We had limited options late on a Friday Night. I had the Shrimp and Grits - which were the highlight at our table (not difficult). Their twist on the menu said there was sausage in them...sausage had been near the entree but to say it was part of it would be a stretch (a few tidbits). The Crab Cakes were incredibly small, and the Sandwiches mediocre. Live music was good and the atmosphere cozy inside even though were were seated very close to the only other Patrons inside (who does that and why?). read more

Stopped in here for lunch. The food was excellent once we received it - it took over a half hour - I wondered if the waitress forgot to put in our order. The second waitress we had was was much more attentive than the first and once we asked about our food she got it right out to us and took over, but I think the first waitress just left it sitting there instead of bringing it to us as it was not as hot as it should've been. 5 stars for the food, 2 stars for the service. Hostess was very welcoming and friendly. read more

The Breezeway - Fish bites - New American Near Me - Sanford, Florida

Three weeks later, my last lunch in Sanford and I headed back to where I had my best lunch in Sanford: The Breezeway. Today was a much nicer day and so we sat outside in the aptly named breezeway which gave us some shade from the hot sun but still a good bit of wind and a nice view of the traffic on main street. Rather than the fish sandwich, I went with the "Sanford Special" which is a piece of Indiana-raised pork, breaded and fried. Well, it was huge. At least 8 or 9 inches square. Yes it was thin, but it was still a whole lot of pork tenderloin. More than half of it went into the box to eat later. Jeez! As usual, the sweet tea was excellent as was the service. Really enjoyed coming back to The Breezeway! read more

The Breezeway - The Sanford Special at the Breezeway - New American Near Me - Sanford, Florida

Me and my friend came here just to eat something real quick , the food was bomb, fries were perfect and the burger was charred to perfection, along with the cheese and bacon, And they added the lettuce and tomatoes without me even asking. Our waitress was just as nice, I enjoyed the entire experience I didn't care too much for them music however they could've probably shut that off because it became annoying after a period of time other than that everything else is pretty solid read more

The Breezeway - New American Near Me - Sanford, Florida

If you're looking for a simple, friendly place, this is it. The bar is literally in an alley. The name is because there's this amazing breeze that comes through on decent weather days. We came in on a really busy time where they seemed to be understaffed. Here's the thing, spending many years in the service I industry myself, you see real service when the place is busy. The staff worked together and communicated to us they were busy, and would do their best. Sold. The drinks were solid. We got easy vodka and sodas. There were lots of families there, I think the casual alley feel led to the kids being able to talk loud and have their own sensory needs met. The foods delivered around us looked great. I had heard about this $13 sandwich called the Sanford Special. It was a fried pork sandwich bigger than my head. It was awesome. read more

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Driven by this place several times and never actually came for a visit until now. We decided on something new for lunch and stopped by. Located right on 1st street downtown Sanford, this establishment was placed within the original buildings. So there's a lot of character to the building offering a classic dining area boasting a huge bar area. Today was probably about 90 degrees so eating outside wasn't a thought, even with the abundance of space and tables. Maybe next time. Their menu offered several seafood items, which we love! Today I ordered a fried grouper sandwich with veggies and coleslaw. The grouper was lightly breaded and had a lot of crunch. My grouper was cooked to perfection! I loved my sandwich and my coleslaw was definitely homemade. I would suggest adding the spread (placed as a separate item on your plate) or request sauce on the side to add on your bun. This sandwich needs some kind of sauce. We will definitely visit again! I viewed other customers tables and saw how great their other food items looked. I think I already know what to order next time! read more

The Breezeway - Grouper sandwich - New American Near Me - Sanford, Florida

The staff was very friendly and attentive to our table. This was our first time coming and we may venture back to this spot again in the future. I am not huge on fish, but their shrimp was on point. The fries were so salty I almost had a cardiac embolism. Other than that, it was a pleasant experience. read more

We visited The Breezeway on a Friday around 5:30 pm. It was a hot one, so we chose to sit inside. Most aspects of our visit were just OK. The service was ok (but not great), the food was ok (but not great), but the happy hour drink specials were great! I ordered an Angry Orchard having no idea what the price was (no one ever told us what the happy hour specials were). I wanted the cider, so I wasn't too worried about the price. Imagine my surprise when my bill showed up and I was only charged $2 for my drink. How great is that? I enjoyed my meal, but it wasn't anything overly special. I wanted fried shrimp and that was exactly what I got. The shrimp itself was big and tasty, but the breading could have used some more seasoning (there wasn't much at all). I did really enjoy the fresh green beans that came with my meal. I'm always happy when restaurants serve up fresh veggies instead of canned ones. Unfortunately, the rest of my party weren't very impressed with their meals at all. Bummer huh? I enjoyed my meal mainly due to the company, so I'm not sure if the food would get me to come back again. I may give them another try during the winter time as many of the reviews I've read talked about enjoying the outside portion of the restaurant. The happy hour could definitely get me back for another shot. read more

The Breezeway - Jumbo fried shrimp and fresh green beans - New American Near Me - Sanford, Florida

love the atmosphere and space to people watch but NEVER order An espresso martin!!!!! it was literally the worst drink I have ever had!!!!! and $12 a piece. my husband and I both ordered them and we both agree. we even said something to our waitress and all she said was sorry didn't offer to take them back or even take them off our bill..... we will Never eat at this place again! read more

The Breezeway - Smiles were before we tasted them - New American Near Me - Sanford, Florida

New to the area decided to check this place out food was amazing. Everything is portioned quite large so make sure you're hungry. Was a bit busy when we went but the bartender handled it very well will definitely go again. read more

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I'm not sure what happened here tonight. Normally when we go here everything runs smoothly. Food is great and the service is great. Tonight however it all fell apart. Don't get me wrong the food is still great. Tonight the staff was short and service to say the least was really poor at best. I had to go and get our server to let her know we were ready to order. Seamed to take awhile to get our food and other around us were still waiting just to get drinks. Fires were greasy and had to get a fresh order. Food was good but not as before. Took forever to get extra tarter sauce. Asked the Bartender who was also taking tables and she just kinda had a "really" look on her face. Then she made a smart comment to one of the other servers about taking tables. Turns out the bartender is a Asst. Manager. The music that was playing was to loud and was crap. Sounded like someone's personal list on there phone but was not what should have been playing. So now time to pay out bill. Was part cash and part on our credit card. We never received any change back because I guess the server thought she was getting an $11 tip. I was going to tip 20% but guess she felt she was worth more. I asked if the owner was in tonight and the girl said "oh he is in and out all the time". It showed tonight. I'm sure it he was in this would have never happened and I would not be writing this. Hope they get it together there. It's really a nice place but tonight made me wish we had gone to get pizza... read more

I have been in food service for 15+ years, and I have never left a place of business without leaving a tip, until today. The service was equally as terrible as the food. If I could leave no stars, I would. read more

Love the atmosphere of the restaurant especially sitting outside. Four of use went to eat and our server was friendly. Everyone was happy with their meal, just the drinks coming from the bar took some time. Didn't detract from us enjoying ourselves. We'll be back for sure. read more

The Breezeway - New American Near Me - Sanford, Florida

A friend of mine told me I needed to go here and try the tenderloin sandwich, they call it the Sanford special. Boy was it worth it. I managed to eat just about the entire thing, my only complaint was I feel like it could've been seasoned a little bit more, but nothing that salt and pepper from the table didn't fix.Highly recommended! read more

The Breezeway - The Sanford Special - New American Near Me - Sanford, Florida

The service was absolutely terrible waiting 10 minutes for a waitress and then I had to ask the hostess if we had one! The food was ok but the order was messed up and the food wasn't prepared properly with no mayo which was annoying and like 10 fries! Nice outside seating but the service killed my experience! read more