12 Best Southern Restaurants in Lakeland

“Delicious food, awesome service, the perfect way to end a day of enjoying all the quaint shops in Lakeland… the maitre’d Neal was so attentive… when was the last time you got a card to thank you for making your first visit to a restaurant? Will definitely be back!“

“Kaitlyn with a “K” was above average in customer service, she was an experience. I told Kaitlyn is was my deceased father’s birthday and he loved Fred’s! Not only did she express empathy she asked what was his drink order and bought it to the table . It’s those small gestures that leaves a big imprint on one’s heart ! YOU ROCK GIRLFRIEND ❣️“

“Frescos specializes in southern kitchen and is well known for their savory breakfast and brunches. The bottomless mimosas for $15 per person until 2pm is great deal. You can have up to 6 mimosas and for my preference the best flavor is the blood orange.“

“Went here & everything was hot & fresh! Didnt take long to cook!“

“We really enjoyed the brightness inside. The food is Cracker Barrel food, what we’ve come to expect for the last three decades, we will keep coming back. It was much more noisy with echoes that made it hard to hear our conversation because we could hear everything else going on in the dining room . Our server must have been rather new. We sat for several minutes with empty glasses of tea. We will be back, but please do something that will help the acoustics. The food presentation could have been a bit better.“

“OMG this food is amazing. Perfect barbeque the food is so good and tender. This place will be added to our Lakeland Safe places to eat. grab and go or sit and eat. sits back in the corner in Town center. and the prices are fair.“

“From the moment I stepped inside, I was impressed by the exceptional customer service. The staff took the time to thoroughly explain the menu, which I appreciated. The prices were reasonable, and the portions were generous. The owner's passion for his business was evident; his presence truly made a difference. The restaurant was spotless, and the food was absolutely delicious. The music wasn’t too loud either. I will definitely return and highly recommend others to dine here. I'm a very satisfied customer!“

“Everything is top notch and consistent. Great ambiance and bbq in downtown lkld“

“I was pleasantly surprised by how generous the portions were at the Lakeland location. I’ve never received that much food when visiting the Orlando one. Everything was delicious, and the service was truly noteworthy. Definitely a great experience!“

“I ordered our Thanksgiving meal from 4 Rivers this year. Everything was ready to go when I arrived to pick it up, and they even loaded it in the car for me. The service was great, and the staff were friendly. The food was amazing! The reason I rated it a 4 instead of 5 is because of the way the food was packaged. I knew it would need to be re-heated, and they provided good instructions, but everything came in sealed plastic bags. I was expecting it to be in containers that could be placed directly in the oven, so at the last minute, I had to scrounge around & find 8 of my own Corning ware dishes, pots & pans for heating it all. Then I had to cut all the bags open & pour & squeeze the food out. It took a little more time & effort than I thought it would, but everyone enjoyed the food.“

“I was Amazed to see customers with dogs in an open restaurant where dishes are buffet style. It turned me off because dogs should not be in restaurants where people are dining. Dogs carry germs and other bacteria. This should not be allowed in Any restaurant even if they are service dogs. There should be limits placed on animals in food places. Don't 4get people dogs are not human. They are ANIMALS and they walk on dirty grounds with 4 feet. Also there are people that are allergic to dogs, afraid of dogs and can't be around them for medical purposes. Let's stop being selfish with animals. Just because you may love them others may not. Consideration Must be extended.“

“This has been our been our go to for over a year. Food quality was good, service quick & Josie is an Angel. However, we’ve been there 2 of the last few weekends. First time, a cook & a waitress were arguing in the kitchen & she walked out after 10 mins screaming. Today the same thing only it was 2 males dropping the f-bomb over & over. I told Josie I don’t think we’ll be back for a while. I go to relax on a weekend & enjoy. Sorry but that’s my experience.“