Dinning here, was a great experience. If you have reservation, I would recommend to arrive early and enjoy a drink at the bar, (preferably happy hour). The ambiance was nice, complimented with good service and food. I will be back. read more

This is a high end restaurant with service to match. Dishes were unique- I can't say I loved all of them but I appreciate the chef's willingness to try something innovative. Paella was a bit soggy- I wouldn't recommend that. However starters are worth ordering. And right now they have an AYCD wine special with several offerings which was great (including Caymus cab) for $40.00. Great cocktails as well. Prices were reasonable for the experience but if you come for happy hour that is a bargain read more

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Best meal I've had in a long time. I came here based on a friend who works at a neighboring, high end restaurant. She mentioned their "endless" wine event (as I drink a lot of vino). I scurried in this evening after dropping off Emily at her hair appointment in Lake Buena Vista. Dr Phillips is an 18 minute drive (I did it in 10...Wolf). This is Magical Dining time in Orlando. It's our "restaurant week" equivalent. 3 courses for $60 at higher end places (and, unfortunately, some places that think they're higher end). I combined Magical Dining with happy hour, getting a $10 gray goose martini (great deal). My meal started with an amuse bouche and bread service with wonderfully flavorful olive oil. My starter was Brazilian styled conch chowder with saffron, an orange slice, star anise, and a coconut milk cloud creme fraiche (oh fuck yeah [Southpark]). They bring out the bowl with the conch and then pour the soup from a kettle, then add the creme fraiche (oh fuck yeah). For my meal I had fillet of Key West Yellowtail Snapper with asparagus, garlic mashed potatoes with citrus butter. The first was crusted, lightly and served piping hot! For dessert, I took home key lime pie with a graham cracker crust with key lime custard and flamed merengue. My martini was shaken perfectly too. Service was exceptional. 3 or 4 bartenders who were each on point. When I my food boxed, they gave me a printed slip to pick it up on my way out (super classy. I've never experienced this). Great experience. I am looking forward to my next trip! read more

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Stopped in for Happy Hour and it did not disappoint! The decor is very beautiful, the drinks are amazing as well as the food. They have a lot of options for food, and the portion sizes are excellent for happy hour. I did prefer the fish and chips over the beef tartare. While the beef tartare was good I didn't really like the mojo ketchup on it. I thought it was very overpowering for the dish. It is in a good location in Via Delliago so you can easily do a very fun happy hour crawl. We did Normans and then we went over to Dragonfly . read more

During our annual trip to Orlando, we like to try new restaurants in the Sand Lake Road area. This year we found Norman's, highly rated, James Bear award, in a strip mall. Service was very good. Wine was good. Food was very good. We started with fried green tomatoes which had a nice spin to it with a great topping. My wife wasn't feeling great and only had the mushroom risotto. I tried a poor dish that was fantastic (see picture below). We finished the meal with a chocolate desert. I'd go back to this restaurant. read more

Norman's - Mushroom Risotto - Seafood Near Me - Orlando, Florida

This restaurant is really beautiful. I came here to celebrate my friend's birthday dinner and it was a wonderful experience. The staff were excellent and very attentive. We came during Magical Dining month and I have to say I was blown away by the food, the flavor and everything we were able to sample. To start our waiter brought us bread and butter along with an amuse bouche. The bread was freshly baked and butter was creamy and whipped. The amuse bouche was tasty and served as a palate cleanser in anticipation for our meals. My appetizer was the beef tataki which bold in flavor and very tasty. I even asked our waiter if it was something that was on the menu as a full dish because it was that tasty. My main course was the filet mignon with seasonal vegetables. The filet was cooked to perfection and melted like butter. To finish, I ordered the panacotta dessert and it was very good. I have to say I was blown away by the extra attention we got since it was my friend's birthday. Not only did we enjoy the food we ordered but we were also given amazing decadent chocolate and champagne to celebrate her birthday! Thank you Norman's for an amazing dining experience! I will definitely be back. read more

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My wife and I went to Normans for our anniversary. I was a little skittish due to some of the reviews I read about the food and service. I am happy to say that both were outstanding! ! ! The ambiance was what we would expect in this class of restaurant. The lighting was good and the tables were immaculately set. Walking in, we knew this was a classy place. Our Maitre D, Johnny, introduced himself and gave us an overview of the menu, the different options and his recommendations. We ordered the Prix Fixe 3 course meal and every course was excellent. I could have made a meal just eating the bread and olive oil that was given while we waited. It was fresh and chewy. Amazing! ! ! Johnny warned us not to fill up on bread so we could save room for dessert. We both ordered the salad, snapper and key lime pie. The salad was fresh and had a light dressing on it and fresh cheese in the middle. It was delicious and unique. The main course was snapper, asperagus spears and garlicy mashed potatoes. All were very good. Thankfully, we saved room for the key lime pie and I'd say it was one of the best I'd every had. Throughout the whole evening, we were well attended by a team of people dedicated to our enjoyment. The kept our drinks filled, cleared plates without being pushy and were appropriately interactive with us. We appreciated the personal touch as they wanted to make our anniversary special. We will definately be back! read more

The ambience at this restaurant was truly lovely. We chose to sit outside, and the atmosphere was beautiful and relaxing. Unfortunately, the service did not match the setting. From the beginning, our waiter seemed visibly annoyed with us. Each drink we ordered felt like an inconvenience to him, and it was consistently difficult to get his attention. We actually would have ordered more drinks, but he rarely came back to check on us and never offered refills. His overall disinterest made it uncomfortable to even try to flag him down. It was awkward because we literally watched him sit and chat with fellow employees at the bar. Our food also took quite a while to arrive and, when it did, it was only room temperature. We were even missing an item from our order. When we mentioned it, there was no apology -- we were simply told it would be removed from the bill. Our waiter was literally mid "walk-away" while telling us this-- we were looking at his back trying to hear what he was saying. It was beyond rude. It's disappointing because the ambience had so much potential, but the overall experience left us feeling unwelcome and underwhelmed. read more

I recently took my husband to Norman's to celebrate a new job! I put in the notes that we were celebrating, and as soon as we arrived the host congratulated him. We were sat right away, the restaurant itself is beautiful inside. The food was amazing, for the most part... the only complaint I would have is that the cornbread that came with my pork was beyond bland. Everything else was perfection. I'd definitely recommend the paella, which is what my husband chose. read more

I wasn't expecting to be wowed by Norman's based on previous restaurants, so we put off visiting for more than a year, but absolutely loved our experience here. The interior is beautiful, and just what I am looking for in a fine dining experience: classy, not noisy, and not brightly lit. The food really stood out for us, too. The dishes seemed more cohesive than those we've had in his past restaurants, with a perfect melding of complex flavors. We opted for six small plates so we could sample many things. Standouts were: House salad: this was startlingly good! Mixed greens with a light but complex vinaigrette, pepitas, dried fruits, and some crumbled blue cheese. Rarely has a simple salad been so memorable. Shrimp Ceviche: not really a ceviche, but more of a cooked, creamy combination with some tomato in the sauce and a dollop of avocado crema. Octopus: absolutely tender and flavorful, so hard to find prepared this well. French Toast Foie Gras: I had read about this dish, and it did not disappoint! The perfect combination of sweet brioche and lightly seared foie. Pumpkin Cheesecake: I would call this a pumpkin s'more caramel taco! Service was impeccable--professional, friendly, and attentive. I wasn't a fan of the Norman's at the Ritz Carlton (mostly due to the coffee shop atmosphere) or his Mount Dora effort (LOUD!) but this one absolutely nails it, with a classy, romantic interior, great acoustics, and subdued lighting. Highly recommended. read more

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We went here for my friends' birthday dinner and it was great! The service was done well and quick. It was packed but not overally loud. The food was delicious! I had the four peppercorn roasted filet mignon w/ carrot and truffles layered potato pavé and I loved it. Even the palate cleanser was a huge hit at our table. The only downside was that the AC above the table kept dripping on my silverware and plates but the staff quickly brought out new ones for me. I can't wait to go back and try some of the restaurants other dishes. read more

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We visited Norman's on a Saturday evening. We had a reservation and were seated immediately. This place has off the charts service. The entire team was awesome and took great care of us. We got an amuse buche to start which was lovely, then got the charred octopus. I don't say this lightly; all other octopus is ruined for me forever. This place has perfected the formula of the most amazing octopus. I couldn't have been happier with it. For mains, I went with the lamb chops since I love lamb and don't get it often. It looks like this dish's sauce and sides might changes seasonally; I got it with a lovely chimichurri, rainbow carrots, and a purée (I don't remember what of) the entire thing worked beautifully and was delicious. For dessert, we ordered a deconstructed creme brûlée. It consisted of some creme that was bruleed on top with a brioche on the side. There was chocolate and caramel popcorn around it. Overall it was really good, but the proportions were a little off. I wish there had been less of the brioche since it was so dense. Overall, I'd absolutely love to return to Norman's it's worth every penny. read more

Norman's - Amuse buche - Seafood Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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First time at Norman's..... from the ambiance, to the service, and the quality of the dishes, everything was amazing! We will definitely be back. I also noticed this location has great spaces for private events. I am now considering having our company Holiday party here later this year. I highly recommend Normans. read more

Norman's - Seafood Near Me - Orlando, Florida

We live nearby and decided to try Norman's Happy Hour. The atmosphere is sophisticated and the service friendly and professional. We tried the fish and chips, crab beignets, and charcuterie. Everything tasted very good, but the charcuterie seemed a little skimpy to us based on the price. Unexpectedly, there was live music being performed by a very nice female singer and guitar player, so that made the whole experience even better. We will be returning again. read more

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I'd been wanting to check out Norman's for over a year, and hoped they'd participate in "Magical Dining" in summer 2023 (Orlando's "restaurant month" promotion), but they didn't. This year they did, and they put in a great effort - was glad to make it my birthday destination this year. My side hustle is mystery shopping high-end restaurants to evaluate service, and I was off-duty here, but appreciated the host greeting, seater congeniality, prompt attention from server, satisfaction checks, tipping up drinks, etc. - VG service. The room was also finished beautifully - a lot of effort and money was spent, and it shows. Food is also top-tier and worthy of a visit by the Michelin man. I was concerned they'd scale back sizes for the price-fixe promotional menu, but the fish entree was the full-sized filet of extraordinarily fresh snapper on top of excellent garlic mashed potatoes. The filet was slightly smaller than regular menu (5oz), but still reasonable. For appetizers the beef tataki was sliced rare filet steak with slight char - very nice. The beignets had more dramatic appearance and uniqueness, but were more crab-cake than beignet - fine with me! (these were also slightly downsized - 3 instead of the usual 4 on the regular menu). Desserts were excellent: hard to pick a winner between the tree leches cake and the chocolate panda cotta, so go with someone and share both. My only suggestions: 1. great wines, with some decently priced bottles - put the list online! I might not have brought my own bottle if I'd known what was available (corkage a reasonable $30). 2. Two runners brought out our food, so they could place all entrees simultaneously (and to the correct person - for 2 of our courses, they went to the wrong person, which is the only thing worse than "auctioning off" dishes). Great job Mr Van Aken - nice to patronize you (in a good way) 20+ years after dining in coral gables. read more

Norman's - Magical dining 2024 - Seafood Near Me - Orlando, Florida

Save yourself the time, money and disappointment! From Miami and familiar with Norman's Coral Gables from the 90's early 2000's this is not that! Service was good, but food was terrible. 3 giant asparagus spears, mash potato, grilled fish!? What happened to creativity, very disappointing... read more

I literally cannot say anything bad about Norman's. We dined on the Magical Dining menu and everything from start to finish was amazing. Service - impeccable. Parking easy. Ambiance was dark and moody. It was a little loud at the time wasn't a deal breaker as we dined with a 4 yr old. They also have a children's menu at Norman's which was a plus for us. We loved every dish and can't wait to go back. read more

I went to Norman's for the first time yesterday with my parents and my sister to celebrate my birthday! The service here was absolutely top notch. Everyone was dressed so professionally and carried themselves so elegantly. I love the atmosphere here. The food was amazing, medium filet mignon perfect temp and tender, lobster mac and cheese was so good, and the scallops are definitely on my list to get next trip! I can't wait to come back, thank you for unforgettable top notch service. read more

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Noooooorm!!! Everybody knows that name, right? Cheers to those who do. There was a fellow Yelper in town and since neither of us local Orlandoans that were meeting him have dined here yet, so we decided to meet here and empty our wallets a bit. I didn't know what to expect other than something good. Norman Van Aken is apparently a great chef who's had a number of restaurants around the Orlando area. Norman's used to be at the Ritz Carlton, so expectations were high in its updated location. It wasn't overly crowded on a Friday evening which was a bit concerning for one of Orlando's top restaurants. We had a reservation which had a $25 per person cancellation fee, so luckily we all showed up. The decor was elegant and the service was pretty great with water refills and such going well. When they brought the food, they didn't do a good job of giving it to the person who ordered it, which at a place like this, you'd just expect. I thought one dish was my salad, but it was the octopus that Emmett ordered. I ordered one of the tequila drinks that had tequila, mezcal, passion fruit and other stuff in a beautifully rimmed glass. The cocktail was just OK. I think they got in their own way trying to make something unique that everything just kinda got lost. The Amuse Bouche was brought out on bent spoons (Kreskin Inspired) and there was one for each of us. It was some kind of ceviche-ish type of "one bite" spoon which was good. It wasn't mind blowing though. Same with the Crab Beignets. I didn't get any sense of Beignet, but more of a crab fritter which was a bit mushy and kinda fishy from what I'm used to with crab. Bread service, however, was the absolute best I've seen. The Bread-tender (my term) brought us each a hot roll and placed it on our plate. They came the show... they poured the olive oil into a dish like you're at freakin' Macaroni Grill. But then, it changes... adding fresh ground pepper, a sprinkle of salt that definitely wasn't Mortons, and they from a bundle of herbs, he took his tiny scissors and cut various herbs which floated down into the pool of oil. They also had butter, but that oil was gorgeous (at least going in). We all ordered something different with the Scallops going to me. They were cooked perfectly but could have used a bit more of a sear. They came with 3 giant tortellini which just didn't pair well with the scallops. Same with the green cucumbery thing which was warm and odd with the scallops. The dish just didn't work. Also, there weren't any fermented black beans from what I could tell. I forgot when I was there, but it was supposed to come with them. Ronnald ordered the Risotto with the Short Rib and upon forking his meat, he discovered it was "super duper bippity boppity booper dry" (his words). The waiter took the dish and was back not much longer with another one which was much better. Kudos for the quick turnaround, but for shame on the dry meat being served to begin with. That was more Wooly Willy than James Beard if you ask me. All in all, I didn't find it as an impressive restaurant for which to recommend and if someone asks me where to go for a good meal, there are dozens of places I'd recommend before Norman's. It's elegant with good food, but so is Eddie V's, Morton's (not the salt), Capital Grill, Ruth's Chris, Flemings, Claim Jumper and a number of other places. And if I'd recommend a chain over a local "gem", then that local gem has got some work to do. read more

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Thanks to the exquisite judgment of local Elite, Joe S, he selected Norman's for a recent group dinner at the Dellagio Town Center. The Doctor Phillips area is an affluent neighborhood in West Orlando so this fine dining venue fits right in with the other businesses. At the time of our reservation, the main dining room was barely occupied with maybe two other parties seated. The setting was upscale with globe lights hanging overhead and one wall lined with bottles of wine on display. The left side of the two-page menu featured a late winter, five-course tasting menu that was priced at a shade under $200. Every diner in a party must select the menu for it to be served. We passed and chose various a la carte items from the right side. While my dining companions each selected one of the Main Plates for their meal, I took a different tactic and picked the following... * Blue Crab Beignets * Seared & Glazed Pulpo a La Plancha * Brazilian Styled Shrimp & Mussel Chowder Four deep fried fritters were filled with blue crab meat and served with yuzu aioli and hearts of palm slaw. The coating was light and crunchy. This was my favorite of the trio. The serving size of the seared octopus was small for the price tag. I like to try this preparation at different restaurants, and the one at Norman's was average. The accompaniments to the octopus were papas bravas, aji panca, and squid ink chips. The chowder was poured into a bowl by a server from a tiny kettle. Coconut milk made up the base that was seasoned with star anise, orange, and saffron. I'm uncertain what made this "Brazilian Style', however it could have used more shrimp and mussels. The service was excellent as the main waiter was knowledgeable and attentive. An army of other waitstaff brought the food to our table. For the price and quality of our dinner, I gave the experience at Norman's a rating between four and five stars. read more

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Did magical dining great experience and great food going back soon. All servers were great and attentive. Beautiful restaurant and great lighting. read more

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The experience at Norman's is like no other. The attention to detail is incredible and the service is always outstanding. The food is delicious and the filet is always cooked perfectly. read more

Norman's - Filet - Seafood Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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The food was pretty good. The service was excellent and nice upscale ambience. Drinks were tasty. Would try them again. read more

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WOW - I don't have enough words to describe how delicious it was. The palette opener was a little too fancy for my taste. The bread service was so fresh and lovely. Not pictured are the blue crab beignets which were so good. The snapper just melted in your mouth - YUM. Filet was salter perfectly. Our server was an expert on the meny and very professional, meeting the standard of the restaurant. It's nice and intimate so come dressed nice! read more

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Nice happy hour Valentines date with no baby! It was a lovely atmosphere! Good portions and great service by bartender extraordinaire Autumn. She was very knowledgeable of the beers and food. Ask for her if you're at the bar! We ordered double cut lambchops, pork tacos, charcuterie board, pork belly, chicarones and had complementary rolls. All the food was delish and very happy for the quality. The lambchops tasted more like filet mignon in a good way. My husband enjoyed the Adult lunchable aka Charcuterie board. It brought back very good memories-good quality meat and cheese. He loved the duck prosciutto the most. The only complaint is the girl bathroom door you have to push hard and the girl doors don't really lock. They need fix this asap. read more

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Amazing ambiance and the food was tasty. Loved everything about the service, they were all so nice and accommodating read more

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In our rush rush go go world Norman's is a truly remarkable dining experience. The service staff was unreal. Several servers stopped by to talk to me about their role in the restaurant and the history of the restaurant. Called me by my name! What!?!?!Super friendly, knowledgeable staff without an ounce of pretentiousness. This place nails every spent of fine dining. Conch chowder is a silky luxurious dish with plenty of fried bits of conch topped with coconut cream. The Yellowtail is cooked perfect and it is their signature dish for a reason. read more

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We had a 5/5 experience at Norman's. The restaurant is easy to find and there is ample parking for lots of businesses in the plaza. Our waiter was extremely knowledgeable and helpful with recommendations. The meal was paced out well and the playing and execution of each meal was great. Norman's has a seasonal menu as well as a prefix menu and you can choose from either which was great for me because it gave me more gluten-free options to choose from. The lamb chops, pork belly and ceviche were all delicious. This is a great place to visit for date night or a celebration. I also heard live music coming from a back room and that seemed really fun. We will definitely return! read more

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Our experience at Norman's was a mix of good and bad, and while we had an alright time, I'm not sure I would recommend it to anyone. The food was overall good to great. We enjoyed the charcuterie and cheese, as well as oysters to start. The seasonal salad and octopus made a solid second course, but we didn't care for the octopuses set. Entree-wise, we enjoyed the filet and the risotto garnished with black truffle. Filet was excellent, the risotto was only alright. We were impressed by the selection on the wine list, but baffled by some of the pricing. There were some good value unique options available (sake in particular was a bright spot) however, some of the more "common" higher end wine was all over the place price wise. Some below and some above Michelin star options in the area. Ambience was excellent, with dim lighting and light ambient music. Service is where the meal fell apart somewhat. Despite having a reservation, the hostess attempted to sit us at a bar high top, then a table directly by the kitchen door. I needed to specifically request a two-top in a decent location. We were greeted by the manager, and introduced to our waiter. The waiter rushed us significantly throughout the meal, pushing for a full food order and wine selection before our cocktails had even arrived. He didn't know the items on the charcuterie board, and gave an incorrect explanation of some of the cheese and accompaniments. Further, he took every opportunity to push "upcharge" items wherever possible, including a $200 an ounce desert wine pour. When desert time came, he described my selection of sherry as a "feminine pour". Very odd. read more

I've been wanting to try Norman's since it opened. Today I decided to go for a solo dinner. The restaurant opens at 5pm and when I arrived at 5:30pm it was completely empty. I sat at the bar. The bartender was friendly but seemed a little rushed even though I was the only one at the bar. I started with a cosmopolitan and the blue crab beignets. They came recommended from the bartender but were just ok, not delicious. They seemed a little mushy in the middle. Next was the snapper entree which was DELICIOUS! It was served with mashed potatoes and asparagus. Highly recommend. I think the bloodline was left it the snapper but it was so good I didn't even care. The lobster Mac and cheese was good but not memorable. Ambiance was nice from what I could see from the bar and the bartender said they have live music outside starting at 7pm. I would be back to try the scallops or filet next! read more

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My wife and I came back after one year of having our wedding party on the patio in Norman's yesterday. The whole staff came to us and wished us happy anniversary and gave us a special dinner celebration. We will definitely be back and will tell everyone about our great experience. Thanks Norman's! read more

Your place is absolutely beautiful. The staff is really great and I had the guava and Margarita for my cocktail and ended up having two. It was really fantastic. The food on the other hand was so heavily lame with salt that it didn't have a whole lot of flavor. Other than that. There were five appetizers that we tried for happy hour and only one was okay. Pretty good. The rest were horrible. The worst thing is is I reached out on Facebook Messenger to tell them how I felt and they just Said thanks for reaching out. We heard your message. Not even an apology that our experience wasn't good. So I feel that they really didn't care about the client! That's why I wrote this. I wasn't going to. I was just going to reach out to messenger but they obviously don't care what anybody thinks. So no everybody knows. read more

Atmosphere and service are elegant and friendly. Foods are tasty. It was a wonderful and unforgettable night.

Came here for my birthday dinner while visiting Orlando. Chef Norman really has a hold of American cuisine with South American and Carribean influence. This is a new location for the place, after 16 years at the Ritz. Service - indeed 5 star. Our server, Lauren, was personable. She gave recommendations of her personal fav items on the menu. Mathew, the sommelier, came by several times to check on us and fix our napkins and clear our drinks, despite us not even ordering wine. Pedro, the bread champion, took his role seriously, which made it an enjoyable experience. Food - After finishing the bread course, which is very tasty, I started with a first plate - blue crab beighnets. It's not super flavorful, but I appreciate the technique of how light and airy the texture of the crust and keeping the inside nice and warm. Next, I had the Yuka Stuffed crispy shimp. This was tasty. For my entree, I had their signature dish as it's been on the menu a long time- yellowtail snapper. I enjoyed it. My friend has the Tenderloin Tataki and loved it, plus the oysters. Drinks - I liked my first drink Fields of Grass, so feminine. Next, I had the Pretty in Pink, which was cute, but I wasn't in love with it. My friend had the French Kiss, and she loved it. Great place, with elegant service. I see why the reviews are shining. read more

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What an experience! I made reservations for my friend and I through Open Table to celebrate my belated 45th birthday. We went with the magical dining menu which included an appetizer, Main course and dessert. We had 2 runners and a waiter. Each of them did an amazing job. Before our appetizers came out, our runners brought us 2 spoons with an orange mouse as a palate cleanser and some warm bread. I had the crab beignets for my app and my friend got the tataki. Both were delicious. We both ordered the filet mignon cooked medium for our main course. Perfectly cooked with a nice sear around the edges. The meat was melt in your mouth tender and quite filling. For dessert I chose the dulce de leche and my friend got the chocolate pana cotta. Not only did they place an edible happy birthday chocolate sign on my cake...it came with a sparkling candle and a glass of champagne for us both. And to end our meal, our waiter even brought out 2 chocolate truffles. I know we did the prefix magical dining menu which is what we were fine just doing BUT we were blown away with the extra things they brought out for us. It was the little details that made the difference. Our experience was magical. Oh and the wine cellar was pretty cool too! I liked that they let us pose with the bottles and I even got to do my model walk . lol. We're definitely coming back! read more

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Amazing food and ambiance! My friend and I came for a girls night and had an amazing meal. We were seated immediately and were greeted by our server, John. We started with happy hour cocktails and the blue crab beignets. We then decided to get the prix fixe menu and basically ordered everything on the menu between the two of us. Everything was great! John was attentive and his recommendations were all fantastic. We will definitely be back! read more

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Food was good, steak was great. Fish was good too. Appetizers were just ok, not missing out on anything by not getting the advertised beignets. It was a good meal but not a great one. Service was very slow. read more

Been there 5 times. visit 1-3 is 5 starts, visit 5 is 3 stars. Service has some decline. Good ambiance. read more

Norman's - Seafood Near Me - Orlando, Florida

I have visited Normans when it was at the Ritz Carlton. It was an expensive, but excellent high end restaurant that delivered high quality food and service. They used to do the regular magical dining over there. Now at Dr. Phillips, they still are pretty expensive and do magical dining, but now at 60 dollars. I wanted to go to a fancier restaurant for my last magical dining, so I decided to visit the new Normans. I made a reservation on Saturday evening, and arrived a bit early. The friendly hostess welcomed me and told me to have a seat in the lobby or bar. A couple minutes later, another host greeted me and seated me at a small table in the dining area. I was given the magical menu upon request. I decided on a drink first and went with the Danger Berry (16 dollars). It was a tequila drink with strawberry and balsamic. It was sweet, refreshing, and delicious. For 16 dollars, it was also strong enough for a nice buzz. Before my appetizer came, I was given a small ginger puree in a spoon to welcome my taste buds. Plus a bread service was provided. I normally don't eat bread at restaurants, but when I saw the olive oil service provided at the table, I took the bait. The bread was so soft and the olive oil just added a great flavor. It was divine! The blue crab biegnets could have more crab, but the blue crab meat was fresh and the biegnets were light. The palm slaw was a nice addition. I took the signature yellowtail snapper entree as suggested, and I am so happy I did. The snapper was moist and fresh, with a mild flavor. The spinach provided was nicely sauteed, and the mash potatoes had the perfect consistency and garlic flavor. That dish alone would have made me come back. The chocolate panna cotta was an amazing end with the chocolate custard being light and flavorful. However, the small cake pieces added were a bit dry, but still chocolatey. Before paying the bill, I was also given a small piece of chocolate raspberry candy, which tasted like a first class treat! The experience was definitely worth the 60 dollars! And since they accept payment from the Inkind application, I was also able to use some of my credits. The service matched the higher end restaurant experience. I had various servers (sorry, but forgot their names. Maybe Becky and Matthew) who worked well together. They provided excellent suggestions for food and drinks, took care of plates very quickly, and walked with you when providing directions. The atmosphere was indeed upscale with many patrons wearing dress clothes and suits, but you would also be ok with polos and other business casual attire. The dining area is ample with a nice bar and wine cellar, and outdoor seating is also available. Complimentary valet parking is also available, but not necessary with the ample amount of parking spaces nearby. Norman's is definitely expensive, but well worth the cost. The food, atmosphere, and service is higher class. I am glad they were able to be close to the Dr. Phillips area. I was also given a 20 dollar coupon to come back, which includes happy hour. You know I will be back! This is one of my favorite higher end restaurants in Orlando. read more

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One word: phenomenal! Norman's is truly an extraordinary restaurant. It's the ideal spot for date night or a memorable birthday celebration with friends. You can't go wrong with any of the dishes here, they're all fantastic. The yuca stuffed shrimp is incredible. I could see a lot of people loving that dish. It's a great portion and very well balanced in flavor and texture. The Brazilian styled shrimp is amazing as well. I am Brazilian so I loved trying something from my country with such an unique and delicious twist. The pork chop is one of their signature entrees and I can see why! Well spiced & perfectly cooked. The service is second to none; the staff goes above and beyond to make your dining experience exceptional. I wouldn't be surprised if Norman's became the next Michelin-star restaurant in Orlando! Also, their ambiance is stunning, and the option to continue your evening on their terrace with drinks adds a perfect touch to post-dinner celebrations. This is a 10/10 experience, and I'm already looking forward to my next visit! read more

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