Here's a look at five event-ready restaurants and lounges that offer private spaces for large groups.
1. Red Star Tavern opened in the Orlando Fashion Square shopping mall in November 2007. Outfitted with oversize burgundy leather booths, high ceilings, and dark mahogany walls, the restaurant can be bought out for 260, with space for an additional 40 on the private patio. The contemporary American menu serves sandwiches, salads, and seafood alongside a lengthy beer, wine, and specialty cocktail list.
2. The Coronado Springs Resort inside Disney’s Animal Kingdom resort area added the upscale party spot Rix Lounge in December 2007. The 5,000-square-foot venue features nightly DJs, a tapas-style appetizer menu, and specialty cocktails like chocolate mintinis. The main lounge, which is available for buyouts, holds 300 or seats 150 and features several 12-seat V.I.P. tables. A private party room holds 100 and seats 75.
3. In August 2007, the Rosen Shingle Creek resort opened A Land Remembered, a new steak house at the resort’s golf clubhouse. Named for the Patrick Smith novel that centers on Florida’s rich landscape, the restaurant offers a menu focused on local seafood and high-quality beef. The 120-seat restaurant is available for buyouts and plans to add a 30-seat private dining room in early 2009.
4. Miami Dolphins legend Dan Marino opened his namesake restaurant overlooking Lake Lorna Doone in 2007, and then rebranded the venue as Tavern on the Lake in April 2008. The restaurant serves an American steak and seafood menu and offers two settings for private events. An elevated section above the main dining room seats 40 in private booths, while the lakefront patio seats 100.
5. Open since December 2007 at the Point Orlando resort, the Oceanaire Seafood Room serves fresh fish from Florida and beyond in a spacious 280-seat dining room. The main space is available for full buyouts, while a private dining room seats 36, a larger semiprivate space seats 72, and an outdoor patio seats 40. Each space includes Wi-Fi and audiovisual equipment.
This information was previously published in the 2009 BizBash National Venue Guide.
