Dexter’s

My family is completely obsessed with this place. It’s an easy walk to so much downtown and parking isn’t bad for it being downtown either. There are so many options and specials (the specials are usually extra amazing) and the price range varies with is great so you can go here for a quick casual meal or a nicer date/​gathering. It’s not formal by any means but there are higher priced dishes that are worth the extra $. Brunch is the best deal. Don’t bother yourself with the tuesday night burger — it’s worth it to just pay for the regular burger as it’s a different patty, larger, higher quality and comes with fries/​salad. I completely disagree with a recent review opposing the value — I think the value of what you get is exactly what makes this place a neighborhood gem. And the good vibes from staff of course.

LOVE LOVE LOVE this place! Have only been here once for brunch but am dying to go back! It was pretty packed but our group only had to wait about 20 minutes to get a table. Went for the $ 3 mimosas (have a variety of flavors) but the food tasted great! I got the eggs Benedict and that hollandaise sauce had me licking my fingers clean. Service is good and quick even though it was a busy Sunday morning. Can’t wait to go back!

The food and drinks are great! I live in Miami and always stop here when in town. Love the sandwiches and breakfast plates. Delicious mimosas and bloody Mary’s.

We went for brunch here on a Saturday. The service was excellent! I had the schnitzel dish, which was amazing, much like my grandmother use to make, so that made me super happy. My mom had the veggie omelet with hash browns. She was happy & had left overs. The hash browns were excellent & their sauce was delicious too.
We did not have to wait to be seated & we were able to sit outside. They could use a couple more umbrellas. This wasn’t an issue for us but an observation of some other outside tables.

Strangely, the place seems to generally be pretty busy. Its like an Applebees in food quality, rather average/​mediocre. Service was pretty good on one visit, and indifferent the 2^nd.
And really, its kind of pricey here for the quality of what you get.
There are better options in Thornton Park, IMHO.

Went this past Sunday, the AC was broken! The restaurant was so hot, the servers and manager were all sweaty.

I am here every week. The drinks are always sublime and the food is delicious. I’ve heard some people complain about the recent menu change, but I don’t know why; everything is great! Whether you’re having brunch or dinner, you really can’t beat Dexters. If you’re going with a spouse or just one friend, I do suggest sitting at the bar to hear more easily. It gets very loud with the original Publix floor. Aside from that, 5 stars every time!

Hubby treated me to brunch here and it was pretty decent. His chicken and waffles was good — comes with bacon jam and syrup. The waffle was light and crispy and chicken deep fried.
I was going to order the frittata but it’s pre-​made and my server mentioned it may contain mushrooms which I don’t eat … Slightly allergic. So I went with the create your own omelet with pesto, tomatoes, grilled onions and cheddar. When it arrived it was delicious looking and tasting but guess what I find in it– mushrooms!!!
So for that I knocked off two stars. The mimosas weren’t like your typical mimosa but great if you prefer the high champagne ratio and want a buzz.
Very busy atmosphere and loud but fun and hip. Worth a visit just know the kitchen is busy so you may need to be careful if you have allergies.

Cuando digan «steak» coloquen los miligramos que servirán. O para evitar esto coloquen fotos de los platos.

Dexter’s is a local restaurant chain in Central Florida. The ambiance and menu remind me of a typical American bar and grill chain restaurant such as Applebee’s. The food at Dexter’s is a step up from an Applebee’s but is still pretty average. I tried Pressed Duck Sandwich and it was ok. The bread was nicely toasted, the cheese was melty and the onions flavorful but the duck was dry. Honestly, I wouldn’t have been able to tell that the meat was duck if it wasn’t in the name of the sandwich. The prices are good if you’re looking for an economical restaurant experience.

Solid 3.5 as a place to hang out in Thornton Park and drink wine. It’s always busy, particularly the outside tables, as they’re dog-​friendly and provide excellent people-​watching.
There’s not much I can say about the bar or food that hasn’t been said in previous reviews but we did recently take one for the team and order the dollar burger as well as the $ 10 burger to do a compare and contrast. Our server insisted we should forego the $ 1 burger for the $ 10 burger — marketing ploy or real value play? Only one way to find out.
Dollar burger — on left in my photo — admittedly usually adds up to at least $ 2 or $ 2.50 when you’ve added cheese and a few toppings to it. It’s small. No fries. Probably cooked to medium-​well. Still, a nicer presentation than a fast food joint.
$ 10 burger — on right — includes most of the tasty toppings you could probably wish for, as well as a side of fries. It’s a much larger burger, is grilled to your liking and appears to be topped with a less processed cheese. It’s good, but not earth-​shatteringly so.
Yes, the $ 10 burger is unsurprisingly an a) better and b) different burger than the dollar burger and won the taste test. But if it’s dollar burger night, I’d still order a couple of ‘em.

This is a nice neighborhood restaurant. Being in walking distance from Lake Eola, it’s great for afternoon dinner.

I’ve always enjoyed dining in here on Sundays… it’s hard to beat their special on mimosas! The ambiance makes this a really fun place to hang out, people-​watch and enjoy yummy food and drinks.
That said, I was shocked by how much I enjoyed ordering take-​out from here the other day! I was craving their Corsican salad, which may be one of the heartiest, most satisfying salads around. It features mixed greens, potatoes, olives, roasted tomatoes, hearts of palm and more. And you can request an added protein of shrimp, fish or chicken. I was surprised to see that my to-​go salad was presented in 2 boxes: one with cold ingredients and another with the warm ingredients. No risk of wilted lettuce. It was nice to see the attention to quality, particularly when it comes to a to-​go dinner.
The total came to around $ 15, which may seem like a lot for a chicken salad. But there was so much food… 3 meals’ worth of salad! So it was a great value, even if I missed out on the fun ambiance of dining in at Dexter’s.
PS – Interested in a snack while you dine in? The cha-​cha chips are the best! Unless you’re on a diet.

I really wish that Unilocal would let us do .5 stars since I don’t think Dexter’s deserves a 4 and even less a 3.
We arrived on a Sunday very mentalized that there was probably going to be a wait everywhere we went. The problem with Dexter’s was that there was not really a place for us to wait. We felt we were in everyone’s way while waiting for our table. We were finally seated and the waitress was really nice and attentive.
It took me a while to decide what to get since everyone had told me how great it was. I was really searching for that one thing on the menu that caught my eye but really never found it. Ended up getting an omelette which was very bland and normal tasting. Nothing that screams «BRUNCH» to me– and I LOVE BRUNCH! But anyways, out of the 5 people I was with, I think the only one that would actually say their plate tasted better than something I can make at home would be the eggs benedict.
The ambiance is nice. Very relaxed and «homey» but I don’t think I would be back. Maybe I just need to order something better next time I go!

Easter Sunday Brunch with my wife, daughter and Granddaughter…
Because this was a family outing, my review will be a tad shorter than usual. It started off being a larger party but due to circumstances beyond my control the party shrank from 10 to 4. The manager went out of his way to accommodate us and even remembered us from Mother’s Day. You will usually find him buzzing around the place making sure everything is perfect.
My granddaughter wanted some spaghetti and it was appreciated that her order was sent out ahead of the other orders. I ordered the Steak and Eggs, my wife had the Shrimp and Grits and our daughter had the Blackened Salmon Tacos.
I will sum it up by saying the food was ALL on point. Of all of the dishes ordered, the Shrimp and Grits was the best thing ordered today in my opinion. I can’t speak for my granddaughter’s spaghetti but she insisted on taking home what she was not able to finish… That says a lot because she is a picky eater.
If you have not been to Dexter’s for Brunch, you really should!
A Florida Foodie

Stopped in after wine and food fair for drinks and snacks (aka tacos) and was impressed by our server, he was incredible friendly and helpful. However, I wasn’t blown away by the tacos I ordered… now granted I am a taco snob so maybe take that in to consideration. Additionally they were out of the first two drinks that I tried to order and considering I love my drink just as much as I love my tacos, this was a bit of a turn off for me. I will give them another shot for brunch though!

I’ve stopped into Dexters before for a drink or quick dinner and thought it was alright, I finally tried brunch!
While taking a still downtown early in the morning I decided to pop into Dexter’s to try about the breakfast I kept seeing people rave about! I knew I was a few mins early to opening and was surprised to see a few people waiting to get in! Well that’s a good sign!
Quickly sat in a booth and took a look at the menu. Many traditional breakfast options and specials on mimosas & bloody Mary’s! While the monte Christo Waffle sandwich sounded amazing we both gravitated to the steak & eggs platter.
I am so glad we did!
Char Grilled Skirt Steak Cooked to your Liking with Two Eggs your Way (I opted for scrambled) House Made Béarnaise Sauce (which was out of this world) Caramelized Onions that I skipped & Home Boy Potatoes (I decided to sub for their hash cakes since I’m not big on onions).
I wanted to have the bearnaise sauce on everything! The hash cakes were so crispy and also came with I believe sour cream.
I already have planned for a Valentines brunch to have this meal again it was that good and reasonably priced at $ 17!

I went to Dexter’s for Sunday brunch, and enjoyed myself immensely. There was a good variety of food and drink options, and there was a lot of seating both indoors and out. I got the eggs Benedict – the eggs were cooked perfectly, and the hollandaise sauce was delicious. My only complaint is that it is supposed to be served over «baked French bread», which suggests that it is baked further than the initial baking that goes into making bread – toasted, if you will. When my Benedict arrived, the bread was far from being toasted – it was as if it was straight out of the pantry, which made for a very different eggs Benedict experience than I am used to.
It was a beautiful day on Sunday, so I was able to be seated outside. Inside has a nice vibe, and there is a lot of space, but it was extremely loud, so I’m glad that I had the option of seating outside.
Overall, Dexter’s was a solid brunch option, and if I’m ever in the area around brunch time, I’ll be sure to return.

If you’ve lived in Orlando for any decent amount of time you’re bound to know Dexter’s is a staple. I’ve been here for over 17 years, and have frequented this place and this location (the other I’ve visited is in Winter Park, and I have no loyalty toward either; there are sister locations in Windermere and Lake Mary), and will certainly continue to. It’s a great place for a group get together, a small party, a date, or a quick drink at the bar.
What many people may not know about this particular location is it was the very first Publix in Central Florida. At least, I don’t think I’m making that up. The restaurant itself is pretty tiny (limited outdoor seating; loud inside because of it’s smallness and weird acoustics), and on the weekends – particularly Sunday brunch – the place is pretty crowded so you’re likely to encounter a wait. That being said, it’s worth it.
Now I have to be honest in that I haven’t ventured out on many different dishes on the menu, despite having been here many times. I have my staples I always get because I know they will be delicious. My all-​time favorite is the pressed duck sandwich, and I typically have that accompanied by a small caesar salad. I’m a fan of duck from time-​to-​time, but only if it’s cooked properly. Dexter’s sandwich is always filled with flavor and not in any way dry (trying to stay away from the «m» word). I almost always order this when I come here.
When I do decide to duck out on the duck (wink), I will opt for either the Spicy Shrimp Provencal – which is available medium or hot – or the Parmesan Shells with grilled chicken added. Both are quite rich but quite tasty. The latter is pretty heavy but I usually take about half of it home with me to enjoy for another meal.
I’ve noticed a couple of reviews that have been less than favorable or just so-​so, and I wish those Unilocalers would’ve had the great experiences I have at Dexter’s. Maybe it’s just a nostalgic place for me but specifically this location is «downtown Orlando» to me.

Locals have a lot of feelings about Dexter’s. It can get over-​hyped or hated on very quickly. I fall in limbo here thinking that Dexter’s is quite alright by me. I admit that I can forget about it and then am reminding myself after a good meal here why I should come back more often. It is not one those places I would list on a «must eat» tour of Orlando but it definitely worthy of praise. They are celebrating 20 years soon! Great for an affordable date night or happy hour drinking.
I love the Thorton Park location. Walking from our house is a nice plus and it really has that neighborhood feel. Staff seem to know some people by name. It is also not uncommon to see the after work meetups or lone diners at the bar. Decent sidewalk patio that is dog friendly, as many are in this area.
My favorite regular menu items are the mixed cha cha house chips, bucatini with shrimp pasta, or the chicken pesto sandwich. Happy hour last until 7 and includes $ 2 off wine by the glass or $ 10 off a bottle. Beer specials also but I’m usually in it for the wine. Dessert is pretty standard but tasty, too.
The regular menu doesn’t change but they always have an extensive list of printed specials for appetizers and entrees. Mister had the pork belly and polenta cake last night and loved it.
Appetizer, 2 meals, a bottle of wine, AND dessert for around $ 60 last night! Another one of those times where we kick ourselves for not coming back to Dexter’s often enough.
Brunch here is pretty famous, also. Good prices on mimosas and bloodys.

I really liked my experience at Dexter’s. First and foremost the staff was amazing. I don’t think you could have asked for better service: giving us menu tips or filling up our drinks, it was spot on.
I tried the Thanksgiving empanada. It came with a gravy dipping sauce and had basically every traditional Thanksgiving day item in their sans potatoes. It was delicious but so piping hot it burned the skin off of half of my mouth. Didn’t stop me from finishing them though.
Next was the chili lime salad. This salad had so much shredded chicken I didn’t think I’d ever finish it– and it was amazing. The chicken was juicy and pretty spicy. I love salads but most of the time you’re not satisfied– not this one. I was completely stuffed. And that doesn’t happen all that often so you know the portions are large.
Next time I’m going to try their brunch whenever I find myself in Orlando again.

After going to Dexters in Thorton Park on two occasions, I can firmly state that I will not be returning. Everything about the restaurant is disappointing. The servers and bartenders have been uniformly rude, the food is at best mediocre, and the pricing is unreasonable for the lackluster experience.
I’ve gone once for dinner and once for brunch. The night we got dinner we sat on the patio. It’s a nice spot to sit and I had high hopes. However, the waiter made it very clear he thought I was being cheap by not ordering an alcoholic drink and my husband ended up ordering one just to make the guy chill out. Our food was mediocre, the waiter brought the wrong drink, and he spilled some on me. He honestly seemed «out of it,» if you catch my drift.
Despite, this subpar experience we decided to return for brunch. Since the wait was 45 minutes (not unusual for the area) we ordered our food «to-​go.» We were told it would take about 20 minutes. My husband went to go pick it up about 25 – 30 minutes later. He arrived, paid, and then was told it would be another 25 minutes. Shocked, he waited at the bar and a bartender randomly brought him 3 mimosas, insisting he ordered them. He told her he hadn’t and was disagreed with by the woman. Later, when he saw our food come out, he went up to the guy to pick it up. The server looked at him like he was trying to steal it and said it wasn’t for him. Eventually, the bartender noticed and informed the server it was our food.
Finally, we walked to the park and opened the containers. Huge disappointment. The Waffle Montecristo was literally a waffle sandwich with cheese and ham. No powdered sugar, it wasn’t fried or specially prepared, and it was just bad. My chicken and waffles were also a big letdown.
Overall, this chain restaurant has entitled employees and below average food for fairly high prices. I know the location is great (only reason for the two stars), but don’t waste your time here.

I made a quick stop at Dexter’s after work for breakfast. The menu was appealing and I opted for the corn beef hash. Poached eggs on top of corn beef hash with some Sriracha? Me gusta =D
Service was outstanding. My server, Katie, held down the fort all on her own (about 7 tables). And she did it with such a great attitude!
I plan on coming back for brunch one day!

Whether you are looking for brunch, lunch, or dinner, Dexter’s in Thornton Park is always a solid choice. I feel at this point I have tried almost everything on the menu, so I know what I’m talking about!
For brunch, you obviously need a mimosa. My favorite is the peach flavored. Beware, they will ask if you want a double, meaning the price will change. Some of us had to learn that the hard way.
Along with your mimosa, I recommend the Shrimp and Grits– a bunch of large shrimp over a mountain of grits and a fried egg on top. Plan your after brunch nap accordingly. I’ve also enjoyed the waffle with berries, when craving some tasty carbs.
For lunch/​dinner, my favorites include the South American Chipotle Lime Chicken Salad, which is the most hearty salad I have ever eaten. Seriously, who gets full from a salad? This baby will fill you up! You can’t go wrong with any of the pastas wither. I usually add some grilled chicken to the Parmesan Shells. Yum!
I am not usually a sandwich person, but the Cajun Chicken Sandwich or the Grilled Pesto Chicken Sandwich are both favorites, with the softest, tastiest bun and perfectly flavored chicken. If I’m feeling healthy I’ll goo with a side salad. If I’m feeling devilish, I’ll sub a side of chips.
There are a ton of specials, so be sure to check out the sheet that comes with your menu. The only downfall I’ve experienced food-​wise is the dollar burger night. Not my favorite. But everything else is tasty enough to keep me coming back.