When it comes to dining at Disney World, you’ve got a TON of options. Would you believe us if we told you that a lot of the best options aren’t in the parks themselves? It’s true!

We recently stopped by Flatlands Bar & Grill at Flamingo Crossings, located super close to Disney World but technically outside of the parks and hotel bubble, to see what was cookin’, and now we’re bringing you our FULL review. Is it worth a stop on your next trip to the Most Magical Place on Earth, especially since you can’t take a Disney bus or other mode of transportation to get there? We’re finding out!

Atmosphere

This is a brand new restaurant that opens soon at Flamingo Crossings, which is less than 10 minutes from Disney World. It’s located directly across from Simply Capri and is the latest creation from Nick Valenti, owner of Simply Capri and partner in Vivoli Il Gelato’s U.S. locations.

The inspiration behind the new concept is the flatlands of Florida and the different groups of people who have immigrated there. It’s meant to have a more intimate feel and not be as large as Simply Capri. However, the bar is massive, with plenty of space for seating along the gorgeous wooden counter to watch the bartenders in action.

As for the outside, it makes you feel like you’re in someone’s upscale backyard. Nick Valenti, the owner of Flatlands Bar & Grill, told us that he wants this restaurant to be an “everyday experience” with a touch of upscale offerings. That way it can be a Friday night destination or a spot where people come to celebrate special events.

But enough about the restaurant — what’s on the menu here?!

Menu

Here you can find food and drinks sourced from local breweries, along with produce and beef from quality providers throughout the United States. It serves us fresh fish, steaks, gelato, “the best burger in Florida,” and other dishes made with locally sourced ingredients.

Don’t worry — there are plenty of drinks on the menu as well!

And now, onto the main event — the food!

Drinks

To drink, we picked up the Cherry Sour, which is made with Amaretto Disaronno, Aperol, Old Forester 86 Bourbon, fresh lemon juice, and Amarena cherry syrup. It’ll cost you $16. We didn’t find it extremely sour, but we could see how someone who’s a little bit more sensitive to those kinds of tones would think it’s a sour drink.

We will warn you this one’s kind of dangerous; it doesn’t taste like alcohol. Instead, it tastes like a cherry limeade with more emphasis on the cherry, but with a little bit of a kick to it. We think the sour tones come from the foam that sits on top of the drink. If you’re more into fruity drinks and sour stuff, this is something you’ll definitely lean towards on the menu.

We also grabbed the Orange Blossom Collins. This will cost you $18 and is made with Gunpowder Irish Citrus Gin, Dry Curacao, Orange Blossom & Honey Syrup, and Grapefruit Soda.

This drink is so refreshing it’s not even funny. It’s giving a mix of semi-sweet lemonade mixed with semi-sweet orange juice in the best way. This is another drink that’s dangerous because you just can’t really tell there’s alcohol in it. You get a little bit of a kick on that initial sip, but it’s hard to tell if that’s the gin or the grapefruit soda. The honey and orange notes give this a sweeter taste, but it’s balanced with the grapefruit soda, which makes it a little bit more bitter and tart. Another winner, in our book!

The Sugar Cane Cooler will cost you $14 and is Mint-infused Bacardi Rum & Cachaça, Mandarin Pureé, Demerara Syrup, cold pressed Lime juice.

This one’s probably the best drink we had here! The waiter told us that it was popular amongst the people who are coming here, and we can see why! Interestingly, it tastes like less tangy pineapple juice, or like a less citrusy orange juice. Yet another dangerous drink where you can’t really tell there’s alcohol in it.

Each sip has a little bit of mintiness to it, and the aroma adds to it as well if you keep the mint leaves in. The waiter warned us that it was going to be too sweet, but it really isn’t — it has the right sweetness for a fruity drink, so if those are your style of drinks, we think it’s a must-have.

Eats

First up, we grabbed the Mini Lobster Rolls, which are $27 and made with Butter-poached Maine lobster, spicy mayo, and toasted brioche.

This is WORLDS better than the lobster roll in EPCOT. Every bite of these is so flavourful and soft and fluffy. The lobster is clearly the standout flavor with this dish, as rich as it is, but the toasted brioche bun brings it all together. The spicy mayo gives it a little bit of a kick, while the arugula gives it a more earthy flavor and tone. Overall, this is mostly soft thanks to the brioche and lobster; however, there is a little bit of a firmer texture to the bite because the bun is toasted, which we loved.

Meanwhile, the Cornish Hen is a herb-roasted Cornish hen, Yukon Gold whipped potatoes, grilled asparagus, natural jus, grilled ciabatta, and fresh herbs, and will cost you $36.

If you’re looking at this and you think it gives Thanksgiving vibes, you are 100% right! This really does taste like a Thanksgiving dish, from the taste of the hen to the seasonal vegetables to the sauce. The hen is cooked very well — it’s firm, but not hard to chew. The vegetables are a great bonus on the side, but what really brings this whole thing together is the sauce. It’s very rich in flavor, and it’s savory, like an earthier-toned gravy.

The potatoes that this dish comes with are absolutely delicious. They’re very different here than anywhere else you’ll go. The chef grills them in the sauce, then tosses them in the pan to give the outside a darker tone. They’re moist, soft, and SO flavorful. You do have to maneuver around a lot of bones in this dish, but overall this was a 10/10 for us.

We also grabbed the 22 oz Prime Ribeye, which will cost $68 and is served with your choice of house sauce.

Come hungry if you’re getting the prime ribeye because it is a big piece of meat! We chose to get ours medium-well, which did come out pretty pink. We grabbed the truffle fries as our side, and got chimichurri as our sauce. The ribeye is very juicy, so if you’re looking for a piece of meat that just has flavour to it, this is your go-to. It’s chewy but not overly so, and it also has that somewhat more charred flavor to pair with the juiciness.

This was another item that was just recommended to us by a bunch of waiters and waitresses. Again, we can see why! They don’t overdo the truffle fries, which we appreciated. They taste like normal French Fries with a little bit of emphasis on the flavor, so if you’re looking for a LOT of flavor, you may find these lacking a bit.

For dessert, we grabbed the Chocolate Chip Cookie for $17, which is served with Vanilla Ice Cream, shaved almonds, and caramel sauce.

If you’re a sucker for warm baked goods that melt in your mouth, this is calling your name. The chocolate is melted inside the cookie, and the ice cream soaks into the cookie as well. It’s nothing crazy unique, but it’s a great dessert option!

Nosh or Not

This Disney World restaurant is a must-visit if…

• You’re looking for a restaurant with a fantastic menu. We really didn’t encounter a single bad thing on this menu, which leads us to believe that it’s practically a win all around.
• You want great drinks to pair with your incredible meal. We were also insanely impressed with each of the drinks we got to try here, and feel all of them are going to be great options, as long as you know what you’re looking for.
• You’re looking for a spot that will feel intimate without feeling too cramped. The space this restaurant takes up means that you feel like you’re able to have great conversations with your group without yelling over the people around you, but you also don’t feel like you’re right up next to the table near you.

You should skip this Disney World spot if…

• You’re not willing to travel outside of the Disney bubble. Yes, this spot is super close to Disney World, but you won’t be able to take a Disney bus or other mode of transportation to get there, maybe making it harder to get there.
• You’ve got pickier kiddos or adults in your group. The menu isn’t wildly expansive, so if you’re looking for something that will appeal to a large group, or a pickier group, this may not be the best place.
• You want a spot that doesn’t need a reservation. While it’s possible to be able to walk up and grab a table, reservations are strongly recommended, and that means that it’s not easy to eat without planning ahead.

Overall

We think this restaurant is a MAJOR win, and we cannot WAIT for it to officially open on September 21st. We think it’s going to be a big hit, and personally, if you’ve driven your own car or you’re open to taking a rideshare, we think it’s absolutely worth a visit.

In the meantime, we’ll be on the lookout for more restaurant updates from Disney World and beyond. Make sure you stay tuned to the Disney Food Blog for the latest Disney news and more!

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Have you eaten at this Disney World restaurant before? Tell us in the comments!

Disclosure: In nearly all circumstances, Disney Food Blog writers and photographers pay full price for their own travel, hotel, food, beverage, and event tickets. We do this because it’s important to us as journalists to ensure not only that we give you unbiased opinions, but also that you can trust us to do so since we’re paying our own way. On rare occasions, when we are invited by a company to attend a preview as media, and when we choose to accept that invitation, we will always make you, our readers, aware of that situation. Today, we were invited by Flatlands Bar & Grill to attend their media preview. Note that when we attend events as media we are 1) Not required to review that event/food on any of our channels, and 2) Not required to review that event/food favorably. You can always count on DFB to give you a 100% unbiased and honest review of any event that we attend, food that we eat, or beverage that we drink. You can see more in our Disclosure Policy. Thank you for reading. — AJ