The best spots in Fort Lauderdale

[xander]

Hi - We're going to be staying in Fort Lauderdale for 2 nights , post cruise , and wanted to know if there were any great cafes and restaurants anybody could recommend ? We're mid to late 30's , and enjoy great coffee , and good food . We'll be staying at The Flamingo Inn . Many thanks in advance ! :)

[Wyldboy72]

We found many great restaurants on the trendy Las Olas Blvd. You should definitely try Mark's (http://www.chefmark.com). Across the street is a very small but excellent restaurant called Johnny V's. You can't go wrong with either of those! Good luck!

[thulewx]

If you've never been to one, Hamburger Mary's can be fun. Georgie's Alibi is also fun, nice for sandwiches, lite snacks. Both are in Wilton Manors.

Check out: Hot Spots

[xander]

Hi - Thanks for the advise , i'll check them out ! Hamburger Mary's sounds like fun .

 

Any cool bars for a pre-dinner drink ?

 

:)

[thulewx]

Georgie's Alibi (aka "The Alibi") is a good starting point for drinks, plus, in that area of Wilton Manors, there are several other spots - restaurants and bars, even a dance spot...

[xander]

Hey Phil

 

Nice to hear from you...how is life in the frozen north? The bf & I went for a weekend to the Finnish artic circle just before Christmas; boy was it cold! It was great fun for a couple of days but i'm not sure i could deal with the long hours of darkness for months on end.

 

ian

 

(the previous posts were the bf!)

[Rotterdam]

There is a restaurant near the gay beach called Casablanca Cafe - good for lunch or cocktails(dinner is a bust) - you can sit in or out ...nice view of the ocean & beach goers. Lots of guys there also - so its fun.

 

I found Hamburger Marys attitude ridden - but as Thule said the Alibi is fun anytime.

 

The Italian restaurant across from Marks on Las Olas is decent - Marks is hit or miss. Do find the ice cream parlor on Las Olas....best ice cream around .

 

Also for really good seafood try Full Moon..ask for directions - its very nice & on the intercoastal.

 

And last but not least ---hit the restaurant at Neiman Marcus(or Needless Markups as we say) for lunch - it can be like a gay club & the waitresses are very nice to us men!!! The food is pretty good also...just try on the bikini before you have dessert!

 

Bon Voyage

 

What cruise are you going on??????

[bepsf]

If you guys are in a group and into a night of total kitsch - try Mai Kai.

http://www.maikai.com/

 

Its a thatched roof Polynesian/Tiki supperclub w/ a live floorshow of male and female hula dancers!

 

The food is very tropical - expect seafood stirfrys served in lobster shells and garnished w/ fresh orchids. The cocktails, which are served in a cocktail lounge that looks like the inside of a pirate ship, are yummy too!

 

We also enjoyed the cafe's on Las Olas, and an evening of cocktails at the Cathode Ray.

[xander]

Hi Rotterdam

 

We are going on an 11 day Western Caribbean on Celebrity Summit out of FLL on April 11th. The itinerary includes Costa Rica and Panama which i've not done before. Gus and I went on Mercury last September out of SF when I converted him to the joys of cruising....ahem. Looking forward to experiencing a Celebrity megaship.

 

How did you enjoy the NCL Dawn? I sailed on her last New Year with my kids and had a good time - but then my mindset and vacation requirements are totally different when i'm in my parental role!!

 

Thanks for the FLL advice - particularly the ice cream place...ice cream is my weakness. Though a trip to Neiman's covers two bases - food and shopping....Gus will be in heaven.

 

Brian - there's only the two of us and MaiKai sounds fun (and kitsch). Is it not the kind of place for couples?

 

(ian)

[bepsf]

Oh, I think Mai Kai would be fun for a couple too - but with at least another couple, there are alot more laughs to go around (especially of one of you is chosen for the audience participation part of the show!!)

 

If you go, be sure to book the late show (8pm seating) as there will be fewer families. Your hotel concierge can help you get tickets.

 

Enjoy!

[Rotterdam]

Is Mai Kai teh restaurant that is very gay on Mondays?????

 

Ian - The Dawn was ok - the big plus fo us was the no fly factor - 10 minutes home to pier.

 

Would I go again - probably not

 

I just wish Celebrity or better would do the same itinerary out of NYC in February. I like the southern & eastern itinerearys and the 10 - 14 days is great. Ilove the sea days.

 

The food on the Dawn was just ok - & we had several problems with the service onboard. This was my second time on NCL & probably the last - we were on the VIP list - I can't imagine if we were not.

 

The bf & I stuck to ourselves mostly & when he was golfing I was beaching/ lunching/ shopping ashore.

 

Hope you 2 enjoy the cruise....11 days is very nice!

[xander]

I agree that the best thing about that Dawn experience is sailing out of NYC. I loved the fact that as we boarded, it was a crisp & cold NY day, and everyone was dressed in coats & scarves but a day later we were in swinsuits in the pool. It made the whole thing feel like a proper voyage.

 

The food and service is not the same standard as Celebrity, but actually i was pleasantly surprised. And with the waterslide, the different restaurants, the whole freestyle thing - the kids had a blast...and if they are happy, then i'm happy...Hence this year we are going on Explorer of the Seas -

 

ian

[thulewx]

HAL's maiden voyage of the new Noordam is next Feb 22 2006, out of NYC - they'll be doing 10 & 11 day trips out of NYC for a few weeks and have given the impression that they'll be doing NYC more regularly... certainly a step up from NCL...

[xander]

Thanks for the info on the restaurants , we'll make sure we try them ;)

 

( Gus )

[Rotterdam]

Xander - I understand that the Dawn is good for family w/children vacations. I realize how important those vacations are to you..glad to hear you found a good one.

 

As far as HAL for next year is concerned...I would like to do more than the carib...QM2 is going around South America....QE2 NYC to Sydney is a good one also. I am spoiled at this point & would do a 10-14 day out of NYC in February as opposed to flying to FLa etc..if that is all I intended to do.

 

Nothing like cocktails on the balcony looking at the Westside Highway in February & the bathing suits in the suitcases just waiting to be put on!

 

Its also kind of fab being in an overcoat, scarf & gloves sailing down the Hudson River...always loved that!(have to be on a Promenade Deck...duck in for a drink & then outside til we sail under the Verrazano Bridge!

[DougandEric]

We've eaten at Cafe de' Paris and Cafe Blu on Las Olas several times (most recently this past weekend!) and love both. We're on a HAL Rotterdam cruise 3/16/2005 and will probably eat at Cafe Blu again - very nice. French Quarter is owned by Cafe de' Paris and is reported to be very good but haven't eaten there yet.

[xander]

Thanks for the tips , we will try those in April !

 

Have a great cruise guys !!

[Slim Commander]

In Wilton Manors try Storks (they make a great peach danish), Java Boys at the Wilton Manors Shoppes, also Dorothy's Deli is nice for breakfast (plain food and lots of it).