34 Best Southern Restaurants in Orlando

“Tori is the best! Service was fast and friendly. The beer was cold, the band was hot and the whole place rocks. I’ll be back.“

“Everyone truly needs to check this place out. The food was absolutely 🔥. We order the Pork Ribs w/ Greens, Mac & Cheese, Baked Beans and Loaded Fries w/ Brisket! Everything was on point! The meat was so juicy & tender and the sauce was amazing. The sides were equally delicious. On a scale 1-10 with no problem Smoky Jay BBQ gets a 10 from us!! 🔥🔥🔥 Best bbq spot in Orlando!! A must check out!! Will be back soon!“

“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.“

“Food was absolutely delicious. And everyone was super nice and helpful. I’ll definitely be back.“

“One of the best homemade food you will ever eat I recommend this place to anyone looking for good quality and clean food just give it a shot and thank me later 😎👍🏽“

“Food was really good. Love the various options in chicken salads. Cranberry Kelli and Olvias old south scoop, and fancy Nancy were all very good. Everything tasted fresh and flavorful. The broccoli salad side and the pasta salad was good.

Dining room could have used a little more attention. A few too many tables were left untouched and not wiped down after customers prior had left.“

“Was very impressed. My date and I had the cornbread , oyster rockefeller and the truffle deviled eggs, impressive intricate cajun menu“

“What a perfect gem we came upon! We were in the area for the 4th of July celebration and dropped in just to have a few drinks while it rained. The staff was extremely friendly and welcoming. The owner helped us out at first and then we were waited on by Harlon- I hope that is his name! He was so nice and every drink he recommended was delicious especially eh espresso martini- with tequila. All the staff was just so nice and the food was delicious! Especially the deep fried fish. If we are ever in the area again we will for sure make it another stop.“

“If you haven't made it to Soco's Sunday Brunch yet, what are you waiting for?! Grab a friend or two and get a sampling of a few plates to share, you won't be disappointed! Today we had the fresh made biscuits with house jams, fried green tomatoes, Pork Belly Sliders, fried chicken & French toast and breakfast tacos. Talk about flavor and the portions were great. The French toast was downright orgasmic, that bourbon maple syrup will bless your soul. Seriously, go see for yourself, best brunch in Orlando or any other meal for that matter.“

“We had such a great experience at The Monroe. This place honestly deserves the hype. The food overall was excellent. Nothing we had was bad, but some dishes definitely stood out more than others. The jalapeño popper deviled eggs were insane and easily my favorite. The General Tso cauliflower was perfectly crispy and flavorful and ended up being my husband’s favorite. The fried chicken is huge and comes with what feels like four sides, so it’s more than enough to share. I’m very picky about mac and cheese and theirs was genuinely impressive. The bread pudding was unreal, it comes out like a crispy brick on the outside and soft and gooey inside. Drinks were great too. The Flamingo drink was really good, and their iced lattes were surprisingly amazing, not just good for a restaurant but actually good. If I had to be picky, the s’mores and the warm potato salad were just okay compared to everything else. Service really made the experience. Our server Sarah was so bubbly and kind, and her recommendations were mostly spot on. We also had a situation where a child tried getting into our car. We mentioned it casually and didn’t expect anything to come of it, but she immediately took it seriously, got the manager, and he went out right away to handle it. That level of awareness made us feel taken care of and able to actually relax and enjoy the rest of our night. The pricing was honestly kind of shocking in a good way. We ordered three appetizers, a large entrée, two alcoholic drinks, two coffees, and dessert and it was right around $100. Overall, great food, great service, great pricing. A couple things I wouldn’t reorder, but the things that were good were really good. We’ll definitely be back.“

“So delicious! Excellent service from everyone, especially our server Shaun. He was so thorough and answered all our questions. The Cedar Key clams were to die for! I had the scallops and my husband had the burger for dinner- so freaking amazing ! I can’t say enough about this place! The owner was walking through the dining room checking on everyone, greeting everyone - thank you Carol for an exceptional experience!“

“They clearly put effort into this food as it was amazing, especially desert! I recommend getting the Blackened Fish Market Sandwich, fries, and Vanilla Gelato. Unfortunately, it is on the expensive side (~$35 per person).

Their service was another reason why our experience was so good. Our server (Luz) was great and exceptionally kind! She frequently returned to the table and got us everything we needed.

The atmosphere was okay, wasn’t too loud but wasn’t necessarily “good” either.

Another thing to note is that they have a nice bar to order drinks and the schedule on Google is wrong (we went during a time when it was “closed”).“

“Just called Rivers Lakeland to place a pick up order. Man answered the phone. Stated they don't take orders by phone have to do online. Told him I tried that wouldn't work. Said that's how they do take out. I've been going to 4 Rivers for years. Was ordering for six people over $100. Told him I'll find some place else to order from. Won't be back.“

“Worth visiting! Food, atmosphere and service were all great! Donna is amazing and so welcoming and kind. The best chef! We went back multiple times because of her.“

“I am a regular there. The Hanger steak is awesome“

“Great service, great food“

“Bubba gump orlando is THE best!! literally like an hr ago, they gave us an ice cream sandwich with sprinkles and wished us a happy anniversary!!!!! in the whole city walk, they have THE best gift shop! Just cannot get enough of the place! GO there!“

“¡Una experiencia deliciosa! Este restaurante de BBQ combina lo mejor de las parrilladas tradicionales con sabores auténticos. Las carnes estaban perfectamente ahumadas, jugosas y llenas de sabor. Probé el pernil y el brisket. ¡Increíbles! Los acompañamientos como los plátanos maduros, el arroz con frijoles y la ensalada, el plato a la perfección. El ambiente es acogedor, el personal fue muy amable y conocía bien el menú, lo cual se agradece. Sin duda, un lugar al que volveré. Recomendado para quienes quieran disfrutar de una BBQ con un toque único.“

“Hands down the best seafood I have had in a very long time. I was lucky to try this great food at a food truck Friday. The chicken and shrimp, my wife and 3 year old enjoyed. I went with the shrimp and crab. It was amazing. Fresh cooked to order. It came with potatoes, sausage and an ear of corn all smothered in this amazing homemade butter.I could go on and on about how great this meal was. And normally I don’t write about food, but this deserves 5 stars and more.I hope they are back in my town again next month because I really want to try the lobster.Great customer service and great people all around. Give them a try and you will not be disappointed.“

“Best boiled peanuts ever!“

“An amazing surprise. Who would have thought you'd find excellent food and service in an airport restaurant. There were 4 in our party. We each ordered something different and every plate was outstanding. Miguel was our server. He was excellent! Big thanks to Miguel and the entire team. You really made a long layover 1000x better.
Happy Holidays“

“We LOVE Huey Magoos and especially this location. Our favorite manager Sheila is so sweet and always gives amazing customer service. We come all the time and always look forward to seeing her and getting our favorite food. Thanks for being so great!!“

“Chef Eddie was super easy to work with for my daughter bday party. The food was delicious, large portions and he was on time with delivery! I highly recommend him! I love using him for events! Very convenient, peace of mind, priced right, and awesome food!“

“Cracker is my go to for all things breakfast! I am never disappointed!“

“Very nice, clean location. Great menu, super friendly staff. Our server, Zocoi, was excellent. Got dijon chicken, it was perfectly cooked and sides were great. Wife got tossed chicken tenders, they did a great job tossing them, she said they were great and the tenders were MASSIVE. Great Cheddars location.“

“Once you navigate through the various rules associated with the all-you-can-eat menu (explained by the server), be prepared for some awesome Korean/Sushi cuisine! Come hungry to get the most bang for the $50 per person. Our group tried a combination of meats and sushi. I gorged myself on tuna nigiri, which was very good. The meats were also excellent. I particularly liked the marinated sirloin. Salad bar and bread selections were good. Our waiter was attentive, which always makes a big difference.“

“I went to a Josh Ross and Nate Smith country concert at the House of Blues on April 9th, 2026. It was my first time ever there, and to say I enjoyed my time would be an understatement. Not only is it right in downtown Disney Springs, which was awesome, so you can explore that before your concert, but it was a smaller, intimate-type of concert venue, with an open floor area, main upper level area, and second floor balcony area, which provided more than enough room for standing and still having excellent views of the stage and artists. The drinks were good and I didn’t get sick at this venue from alcohol poisoning, expensive though, but it is right in Disney Springs, so understandable. Service was VERY friendly, and security precautions were A+++ They had everyone go through metal detectors, and were scanned head to toe, all bags and purses thoroughly checked, and there were sheriffs and security actively present all throughout the venue from beginning to end. I will MOST DEFINITELY come back here for future concerts. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

“We visited Cheddar's while in Orlando before our cruise, and it ended up being one of the highlights of the trip. As a NASCAR fan and supporter of Kyle Busch, I had always wanted to try a restaurant that has sponsored him, and it did not disappoint.
The food was very good, portions were generous, and everything tasted fresh. The restaurant itself had a great atmosphere with unique decor that felt warm and welcoming. Service was friendly, and the overall experience was much better than what I expected from a chain restaurant.
Unfortunately, the closest Cheddar's to where I live in Michigan is about 1.5 hours away, otherwise I'd probably visit more often. If you're in the area and looking for a good meal at a reasonable price, I would definitely recommend giving Cheddar's a try.
Would happily eat there again on a future Orlando trip.“

“Great dining for families. It’s hard to get a good value these days. Great food and service. Plenty of variety with food and desserts. Love the rolls! This location is clean and friendly. I enjoy dining in but take out when I don’t have as much time.“

“Cheddars has become our favorite restaurant in the Central Florida area! Last night again, it did not disappoint! The blackened chicken got rave reviews from my friends, as did the salmon, and I got my usual blackened white fish on rice with a loaded baked potato and house salad. Friends raved about the carrots and the broccoli casserole. And oh yeah, the chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream -- out of this world! Ample portions, reasonably priced, nice staff, and upscale environment.“

“I got the BLT with fries.
Came out quick and it was very tasty and fresh.
Deb, my server was very friendly.

I gave atmosphere a 4 because of the busy the area that was kind of loud but thats to be expected in an airport.“

“I finally visited this location on today. The food is good, but the plating could be better when separating sides“

“Great staff. Made my 3 year old buttered noodles !“

“Omg the southern food here is delicious! Been awhile since I had southern food this good!“