Can anyone recommend good restaurants/bars there? We're looking for something interesting to do after the parks close each night.
You asked about both restaurants AND bars, and so far the only suggestions people have made have been restaurants only. I'll list some recommendations on BOTH, and try to give a little more insight than just listing names of places and saying "its good". I know if I was asking for tips, I'd want a little more info than that. :lol:
Restaurants
Margaritaville - This is my favorite place to eat in CityWalk. It is a tradition for us to eat and drink here several times during each trip. I've been to two other Margaritavilles (one in Key West and the other in Las Vegas), and this one is the best because of the service and the ambience. If you like hot wings, Margaritaville has my second favorite hot wings anywhere (number one is Bahama Breeze, which you can also visit in Orlando). They are called Jamaica Mistaica wings here. Another favorite menu item is the jerk chicken. Both are a little spicy, so ignore these recommendations if you don't like spicy food. Neither is intolerable, but I know people who don't like anything remotely spicy. Another must have are the conch fritters. The remoulade sauce is fantastic. I also highly recommend the Cuban sandwich if you like pork. The bread it comes on is great! If burgers are more your thing, then you can't go wrong with either the Cheeseburger in Paradise or the Mushroom Cheeseburger. For drinks, they make some great margaritas and some really good rum based drinks. I'm partial to the Rum Runner and the Bahama Mama. For dessert, the Key Lime Pie and the Chocolate Hurricane are the two best things. You can sit either inside or outside here. I have done both, but generally prefer to sit outside on the deck. Both feature live music at various times. Inside it is usually a full-fledged band. Where outside on the deck, it is usually just one performer playing a guitar and singing. I like it outside because it's more fun to people watch and soak up the Florida summer air, plus you can look at Islands of Adventure from outside and that's fun.
NBA City - I've only eaten here once, but it was on our most recent trip and we'll definitely go back. I ordered the jambalaya and it was fantastic.
Bubba Gump Shrimp Co - This is the only Bubba Gump I've ever been to so I don't have any other frame of reference. But I love this place. In addition to the food being fantastic, the staff is really fun and friendly. They'll do things like go from table to table asking trivia questions about the movie Forrest Gump. They also have a cool practice that I haven't seen a lot of restaurants implement. Each table has a little sign on it that is blue on one side and says, "Run Forrest Run", and red on the other side and says, "Stop Forrest Stop". Depending on which side you display at your table, your server will either check up on you frequently, or leave you and your party alone so that you can enjoy your meal without constant interruptions. Very cool idea. The Far Out Beach and Louisiana Lemonade are both great cocktails here, and they come in cool glasses that you get to keep (if you're into that sort of thing). Not surprisingly, they serve just about every variety and preparation of shrimp imaginable.
Bars
Pat O'Brien's -My personal favorite thing about this place is that they serve bourbon mint juleps, which are hard to find where I live. I usually down a few on every trip to City Walk. You have to love bourbon though, which I do. The ambience here is a fun jazz bar.
Latin Quarter - A salsa-dancing type of ambience with pretty decent mojitos. I recommend at least stopping in for a drink or two.
Both of the above are also restaurants, but I've only had drinks in each.
Rising Star - This place is awesome. It is like a karaoke bar on steroids. Imagine singing karaoke except instead of music from a karaoke machine you are backed up by a full band and live dancers onstage. Lots of fun!
I hope that gives you something to go on. There's lots more to do at CW, but those are the highlights in my opinion. <!-- / message -->
