16 Best Southern Restaurants near Lake Mary

“You classic chicken salad got an upgrade with tons of flavors to choose from. Flavors range from fruity, savory, classic, or bold to downright unexpected. The atmosphere is dolled-up diner vibes with a counter service start and to-your-table service. The soups are great and the real hidden gems here are the grape salad and broccoli salad.“

“Tired of cooking? Can't cook? Then give Kookin' with Kim a try. You will be glad that you did! Reasonably priced. Hefty sized portions.“

“I am a chef from out of town, I always look for restaurants that are off the beaten path. This was one of the best restaurants with homemade food that I have ever had. I strongly suggest everybody go here and try it. We got our food to go everything was homemade Good price simply delicious. I could not find one thing wrong with anything that we got. We purchased the meatloaf that came with rice, collard, greens, outstanding, sweet potatoes, Black Eyed Peas, outstanding, cornbread and they have a special sauce that is meat, ham, sausage, bacon, onions, peppers, and they put it in shrimp and grits, but I cannot eat shrimp so I wanted to try it and we put it on top of rice with extra meat and this should be a new menu item for them. The food was made to order. We only waited 25 minutes and we were on our way I didn’t get a chance to thank them or tell them how delicious this food was if you go to the zoo or ever go through Sanford I suggest you look at this restaurant and stop there. One of the owners was running the window and obviously the other one was this truly truly was an outstanding Food experience. . One of the owners was running the window and obviously the other one was this truly truly was a outstanding Food experience. 🥰🥰❤️❤️🎉“

“Great food and service, nice clean restaurant“

“I would recommend this place to anyone. I am looking forward to going back.“

“On-site observation conducted during normal daytime operating hours. Interior dining area is organized with counter-based ordering and table seating arranged to support pedestrian circulation and short-duration occupancy. Menu items and pricing are clearly posted at the point of sale. Staff interaction observed at the counter followed standard service procedures, including order intake and fulfillment. Ambient noise levels were consistent with a mid-volume food service environment. The facility is integrated into a mixed-use corridor with direct sidewalk access and nearby vehicular parking, supporting both walk-in and short-stop visits.“

“Absolutely delicious New Orleans style food. Everything we ordered was perfect. This is the first New Orleans style restaurant I've had that nailed it when it comes to quality and flavor. The oysters were sooo good! It's a must try spot!“

“I like the nostalgia of the restaurant and store. I actually like the store better than the food!“

“once again food was great and Taylor took care of us like family. Thank you again and keep up the outstanding customer service and reason why I will continue to cone back whenever I'm in Florida“

“My group of friends meet every Wednesday at noon. The food portions can't be topped For a small business the menu is tremendous. Pam and Kathy are the Best.“

“Best boiled peanuts ever!“

“1/3/25…in town for one night, never been here, never heard of this place, just decided to try it. Stopped in around 5:00. The host asked if we had a reservation, we did not. She said “I’ll work you in” and seated us immediately at the bar. The bruschetta was the bomb! The fried chicken was totally out of this world! The service was outstanding! A must go to place!“

“Highly recommend for family gatherings! We just had our Baby Shower in their event space & we had an amazing time. All the staff was super friendly, very accommodating and easy to work with & book. The food and drinks were delicious and fast. Our host/waitress was so sweet and fun and great about interacting with everyone at the shower. The kids present were very happy to feed the gators, visit the parrots, and pretty much wander around in between the games. I cannot recommend their services enough and I am beyond happy we chose here for our baby shower.“

“Service was great and the prices were even better!! My wife got the chicken pot pie and she said it was amazing. Great little bar area with a huge fish tank that was nice to look at while waiting for the food. Both bartenders were very pleasant and great conversation! My steak was cooked to perfection. Amazing value and way better quality compared to Alehouse and the like. We will definitely be back !!“

“we had great service, the food was so good, and love all the seasonal items in the store.“

“Food is great! But please tell me how do you expect patrons to throw their trash away? This is such a huge flaw in your dinning room.“