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Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades) pre cruise dining and hotel recommendations please


Jedi Jason

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My next cruise goes out of Port Everglades.  I will be driving down from Orlando the day prior.  I am looking for any hotel recommendations for a one night stay. It would be the first weekend in January.  I am also interested in any restaurant recommendations.  I know @Lovetocruise2002 has a favorite restaurant.  We have cousins that live in the area and we are trying to meet them for dinner the night before the cruise but they don't really have any suggestions since they have a need to stay in hotels in the area and they are not located close to the port area.  Please let me know what hotels or restaurants you like and why.  What menu item do you have to get every time?

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Embassy Suites 17th Street is a decent hotel in a good location.  Embassy Suites have free breakfast in the morning with made to order omelets and an evening complimentary happy hour.  Plus it's consistent so I always know what to expect from a room there..they easily accommodate families.  Hyatt Place was also reasonable and comfortable.

There's several restaurants immediately walkable and it's super close to the port which makes it a cheap Uber/Lyft ride the next morning.

There are several hotels in that area which tend to be the same quality/amenities.  Just spends on if you have a particular preference or brand loyalty.  

@Lovetocruise2002 is always going to recommend LaBamba which is in a shopping center right there by those hotels.  It's a mexican/spanish chain and they have several locations in the area.  I ordered the carnitas and was pleasantly surprised!

There's also Publix and Total Wine in that shopping center which is great for picking up last minute items you may need for the cruise.  

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We like,staying at the Holiday inn express on 24 th st, about ten minutes from port, there is a small,strip mall,across the street and really enjoyed a restaurant there, can't remember the name, but it was  really good, hamburgers, fish, salads and stuff like that, but I'm sure tonyfsu21, as a local can help more than I can, but Holiday in is very nice and clean.

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3 hours ago, Alibou3193 said:

I don't have any restaurant recommendations, but I am also cruising out of Port Everglades. After looking at hotel prices, I decided to look into Airbnb's around the area and found them to be much cheaper. 

We are in season and the super bowl is in Miami this season which will have an impact on pricing across the board. 

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We stayed at the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach resort in 2010 &  the Sheraton Fort Lauderdale Beach in 2012 (which Google is reporting closed) for 2 nights each, pre-cruise. We also stayed at the W for a few nights (no cruise just visiting FLL) in 2018 and loved it.

Obviously a hotel that's closed and one I stayed in 2010 aren't the best to recommend, it's the location I'm recommending. Sure, it's a bit more, but if you can swing it, really gets you into vacation mode!

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I'll put my frequent plug in, which is to look beyond just the port area. Often times, you can rent a car at the airport, have full access to the metro area (for sightseeing, meals, lodging options of all budgets), and drop your car at the port the next morning (with a free shuttle from there to the ship) for less than a hotel + uber/lyft. We have never actually stayed at a place that has a shuttle to the port, because we often prefer the flexibility of having our own car at the same, or sometimes lower, total price. 

Just one more option to look in to if it interests you. 

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If you stay on 17th Street you can’t really go wrong. Most of the hotels are at least mid range hotel level and pretty much all similar pricing. Hilton Marina is nice because if you score a high floor facing South you can see your ship in Port. Embassy Suites, Renaissance, Hyatt all in close proximity and offer the convenience of many dining options within walking distance.

If your thinking “Resort” then stay at one of the resorts on Fort Lauderdale Beach. My favorites are Conrad and the W. Both pricy options (especially in Jan) with pricing for a basic room easily at $500+/night. Beach resorts give you the full Fort Lauderdale beach experience if that’s what your looking for. 
 

Dining:

I can break it down into some basic picks just based on what I’m thinking at the moment and it may help you. 
 

Italian: Cafe Vico, Franco & Vinny’s Pizza Shack, Louis Bossi’s Las Olas, Cafe Martarano, Valentino’s.

Steak: Mastros, Steak 954 at W hotel, Del Friscos Las Olas.

Seafood: Rustic Inn (best garlic crabs on planet earth), Lobster Bar Las Olas, Even Keel, Pirate Republic on the new river (great spot w/ very interesting seafood dishes with great flavors), Billy’s Stone Crab (it’s in Hollywood and you can take the water taxi).

Burgers and Sandwiches: Le Tub (voted best burger in America and you can take water taxi to Margaritaville stop and walk here), La Spadas Hoagies located In the Panera bread plaza on 17th, Henry’s Sandwich shop (great spot). B Squared Burgers and Booze (one of my favorite spots on Las Olas).

Thai & Sushi: Thai Spice on Oakland Park Blvd (Awesome), Sushi Rock Las Olas, Asia Bay Las Olas.

Sports Bars/Pubs/Breweries: Bo’s Pub Las Olas, Bo’s Beach, American Icon Brewery, Tarpon River Brewery, Quarterdeck on 17th Street.

I have tons of options and I personally go to all these places and can say they are all great in their own way. 

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2 hours ago, Rose City Cruiser said:

Heading there next week w/ the family.  What do you suggest on their menu?

I'm with @tonyfsu21 definitely the Chimichanga.  Hubby loves the fajitas.  Any margarita (with Patron of course) and do not miss the fried ice cream.

Also @Jedi Jason, I have always been a fan of the Renaissance on 17th St. but ever since Holiday Inn Express (on 17th St.) remodelled and added suites, we have been booking with them instead.  Their price point is usually better if it's just a quick one night stay and the remodelled rooms are decent.  There are pics in my March Harmony blog.  I have always wanted to do the Conrad but the call of La Bamba is always louder.

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5 hours ago, Jolly Ogre said:

Any restaurant that is literally used to measure the severity of natural disasters gets two enthusiastic thumbs up in my book!

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5 hours ago, USCG Teacher said:

Any restaurant that is literally used to measure the severity of natural disasters gets two enthusiastic thumbs up in my book!

The Federal Emergency Management Agency utilizes an informal “Waffle House Index” to determine the severity of a tropical storm or hurricane. In short, if a Waffle House closes that’s a sign to FEMA — and to the rest of us — that a storm was severe. Here are the three levels of the Waffle House Index, which is used to evaluate areas after a storm passes through:

Green: Waffle House is serving a full menu and electricity is on.

Yellow: Waffle House is serving a limited menu, may be low on food supplies, and is likely using an electrical generator.

Red: Waffle House is closed. (Oh shit, time to panic.)

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37 minutes ago, Jolly Ogre said:

Now you are talking my language!! And don't forget the grits!

 

Grit and hashbrowns together would be an extra charge on the All Star. Let's not go crazy here, money bags. Though admittedly, I waver between grits and hashbrowns depending on my mood on that particular day. 

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20 hours ago, Matt said:

If you've never been, Waffle House is a cultural experience.

Make sure you aren't too far from a bathroom after this...........?

We ate at a hibachi place on Las Olas Blvd (can't remember the name) where you can sit basically outside and it was AWESOME!!!!  We loved it!  Especially nice for us in January coming from MN ?

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On 11/7/2019 at 2:39 PM, Matt said:

If you've never been, Waffle House is a cultural experience.

Mai-Kai Polynesian Dinner Show is also a great choice for groups

Mai Kai is a lot of fun. The place has been around forever! I don’t get the whole Waffle House thing though, I personally would rather take my chances eating out of a dumpster. 

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On 11/7/2019 at 10:31 AM, tonyfsu21 said:

I am local. Please describe what you would like regarding both hotel experience and dining and I can make recommendations. 

It is just my wife and I for a Friday night stay.  We like a hotel considered at least a 3 star preferably with breakfast and parking.  We have had good experience with Embassy suites so I guess that would be something like what we are looking for.  For dining, we are pretty easy going.  We live in Orlando and would like to try something new to us.  We will probably be staying within 30 minutes from the port/airport but would be willing to drive for the right restaurant.  We would like to try something that is local or a small local chain.  I was just looking for people's favorites.  I am sure there are some great options from this group.

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On 11/7/2019 at 2:35 PM, Zacharius said:

I'll put my frequent plug in, which is to look beyond just the port area. Often times, you can rent a car at the airport, have full access to the metro area (for sightseeing, meals, lodging options of all budgets), and drop your car at the port the next morning (with a free shuttle from there to the ship) for less than a hotel + uber/lyft. We have never actually stayed at a place that has a shuttle to the port, because we often prefer the flexibility of having our own car at the same, or sometimes lower, total price. 

Just one more option to look in to if it interests you. 

I will be driving my own car and parking at the port so yes I have lots of options.

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On 11/7/2019 at 4:17 PM, tonyfsu21 said:

If you stay on 17th Street you can’t really go wrong. Most of the hotels are at least mid range hotel level and pretty much all similar pricing. Hilton Marina is nice because if you score a high floor facing South you can see your ship in Port. Embassy Suites, Renaissance, Hyatt all in close proximity and offer the convenience of many dining options within walking distance.

If your thinking “Resort” then stay at one of the resorts on Fort Lauderdale Beach. My favorites are Conrad and the W. Both pricy options (especially in Jan) with pricing for a basic room easily at $500+/night. Beach resorts give you the full Fort Lauderdale beach experience if that’s what your looking for. 
 

Dining:

I can break it down into some basic picks just based on what I’m thinking at the moment and it may help you. 
 

Italian: Cafe Vico, Franco & Vinny’s Pizza Shack, Louis Bossi’s Las Olas, Cafe Martarano, Valentino’s.

Steak: Mastros, Steak 954 at W hotel, Del Friscos Las Olas.

Seafood: Rustic Inn (best garlic crabs on planet earth), Lobster Bar Las Olas, Even Keel, Pirate Republic on the new river (great spot w/ very interesting seafood dishes with great flavors), Billy’s Stone Crab (it’s in Hollywood and you can take the water taxi).

Burgers and Sandwiches: Le Tub (voted best burger in America and you can take water taxi to Margaritaville stop and walk here), La Spadas Hoagies located In the Panera bread plaza on 17th, Henry’s Sandwich shop (great spot). B Squared Burgers and Booze (one of my favorite spots on Las Olas).

Thai & Sushi: Thai Spice on Oakland Park Blvd (Awesome), Sushi Rock Las Olas, Asia Bay Las Olas.

Sports Bars/Pubs/Breweries: Bo’s Pub Las Olas, Bo’s Beach, American Icon Brewery, Tarpon River Brewery, Quarterdeck on 17th Street.

I have tons of options and I personally go to all these places and can say they are all great in their own way. 

I am only staying one night LOL but thanks for all the recommendations.  I definitely have lots of options for future trips as well.

 

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1 hour ago, Jedi Jason said:

It is just my wife and I for a Friday night stay.  We like a hotel considered at least a 3 star preferably with breakfast and parking.  We have had good experience with Embassy suites so I guess that would be something like what we are looking for.  For dining, we are pretty easy going.  We live in Orlando and would like to try something new to us.  We will probably be staying within 30 minutes from the port/airport but would be willing to drive for the right restaurant.  We would like to try something that is local or a small local chain.  I was just looking for people's favorites.  I am sure there are some great options from this group.

If your staying 30 minutes from Port Everglades then that’s just a whole different ballgame. If you are in the East Fort Lauderdale area then I can help. In 30 minutes down here you could be as far North as West Palm, as far South as Port of Miami and West until you’re in the Everglades. 

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14 minutes ago, tonyfsu21 said:

If your staying 30 minutes from Port Everglades then that’s just a whole different ballgame. If you are in the East Fort Lauderdale area then I can help. In 30 minutes down here you could be as far North as West Palm, as far South as Port of Miami and West until you’re in the Everglades. 

We will probably settle on something near airport or as far north as West Palm since we have family in West Palm and the Fort Lauderdale area.  Based on my hotel research I am leaning towards north Fort Lauderdale area. When your taste is Ritz Carlton but you only want to pay Days Inn prices it's hard to decide.  Hoping for something slightly upscale at a moderate price but I realize it is peak season.

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4 hours ago, Jedi Jason said:

We will probably settle on something near airport or as far north as West Palm since we have family in West Palm and the Fort Lauderdale area.  Based on my hotel research I am leaning towards north Fort Lauderdale area. When your taste is Ritz Carlton but you only want to pay Days Inn prices it's hard to decide.  Hoping for something slightly upscale at a moderate price but I realize it is peak season.

The Embassy Suites on 17th St in Fort Lauderdale might be perfect for you then. 

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On 11/8/2019 at 3:16 PM, tonyfsu21 said:

Mai Kai is a lot of fun. The place has been around forever! I don’t get the whole Waffle House thing though, I personally would rather take my chances eating out of a dumpster. 

Not sure how long you've lived in the South, but as a Northener, I think waffle house has a special appeal. Simply put, there's nothing like it north of Maryland.

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21 minutes ago, Matt said:

Not sure how long you've lived in the South, but as a Northener, I think waffle house has a special appeal. Simply put, there's nothing like it north of Maryland.

All of my 43 years in Fort Lauderdale & def don’t get the Waffle House appeal. I will give it another try I guess. 

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I am going on a cruise in January and we are flying down from Long Island to Fort Lauderdale the day before our cruise leaves. We ending up booking rooms at the Hyatt Place 17th Street. It is close to both the airport and cruise port and is right near a strip mall with restaurants as well as a Publix. The hotel is also near the Embassy Suites and Holiday Inn that other people have mentioned. 

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