10 Best ICON Park Restaurants | Best Places To Eat (and Drink!) at ICON Park Orlando, FL

Written By: Gail Clifford | Published By: Foodie Flashpacker | May 3, 2023

If you’ve believed Orlando goes no further than theme parks, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the different neighborhoods in this sprawling city, excellent entertainment, and dining options.

ICON Park, located on the west side of Orlando not far from the I-4 corridor, originally owned by hotel and resort developer Harris Rosen sold due to economic changes until the current iteration, part of the International “I” Drive experiences to I-Play, I-Stay, and I-Dine, includes the ICON Orlando Observation Wheel (formerly known as the Coca-Cola Orlando Eye), SEA LIFE Aquarium, Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, and several restaurants, bars, and shops, with a carousel, StarFlyer (super high swings), and small train attracting tourists and locals alike. 

While ICON Park includes national favorites like Outback Steakhouse, Ben & Jerry’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, and Carrabba’s Italian Grill, many local, regional, and specialty restaurants provide a selection of more Orlando specific cuisine.

Best ICON Park Restaurants

Table of Contents

• The 10 Best ICON Park Restaurants
  • Ole Red
  • Tapa Toro
  • The Star Bar at ICON Park
  • Uncle Julio’s Mexican Restaurant 
  • Sky Bar
  • Yard House
  • Sugar Factory
  • Tin Roof
  • iLounge Istanbul
  • iCafe de Paris Creperie

The 10 Best ICON Park Restaurants

Ole Red

8417 International Dr // (321) 430-1200

Throughout this section, don’t be shocked if I seem to be gushing over the chef. He’s brilliant.

The relaxed atmosphere at Ole Red contains touches of glitz and glam. It’s a large, open, airy, country bar with Blake Shelton’s all-black attire by the entrance. For the glitz of Gwen Stefani’s outfit, you must ascend to the second level.

The quirky gift shop is around the corner from the entrance.

Farm tractors, tools, and amusing sayings are strewn about the walls and hung from the ceiling. One word sums it up: eclectic.

Though Monday and Tuesday music starts around 3:30pm, music typically resounds from 11am until about 11pm.

During our visit, we had just met our server, Alex, well experienced with both fine dining and this particular establishment and had begun to peruse the menu when I realized I needed to wash my hands. 

The bathroom has a vibrant jungle print with ferns and vine, but the best part is the wall outside… the confessional booth (which looks exactly like it does on The Voice).

Jessica, our venue contact person, provided a big surprise … She invited Executive Chef Mark Boors, on site that day, out to meet us.

He’s designed the menus for the restaurants in Nashville and Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and is currently finishing the High Roller menu for the restaurant in Las Vegas.

“We’re known for burgers and BBQ. It’s a scratch kitchen – we do 98 percent in-house. We’re proud of our food.” Mark tells us as he reviews the menu for us, “Taking you to the “Must Haves,” the nachos, and the tater tot poutine. My favorite burger is the Southern Gentleman, a unique one to Orlando. I do that with a 24-hour brine and then we vacuum seal it and then a sous vide and there’s a quick pick up on the grill, so that it’s done quite well. Personally, I think that’s one of the better pork chops I’ve ever had.”

He speaks to menu changes that he wants to make, one sandwich that isn’t quite where he wants it to be, and the hybrid products made with local favorites, like pimento cheese. The advantages of the Nashville success allowed him to anticipate the success of the hot Nashville Chicken Waffle entrée as an Orlando favorite. He’s also considering a Grouper Blackened Reuben with a Southern flare with a pineapple cole slaw. Come back later in the year to try it.

Ole Red opens in Las Vegas and Mark Boors coordinates the food with the special, high roller experience on a third level high-end lounge experience in Vegas as well as a rooftop bar. Extravagances already planned include two-pound lobster corndogs and Wagyu tacos.

Mark Boors, Ole Red’s Executive chef, asked us if we trusted him to offer us a tasting menu. Um, yes, please! He was kind enough to take our dietary restrictions under consideration and presented:

Tater tots with poutine and cheese curds on the side with a fresh easy fried egg and corn scattered through. The Bang Bang shrimp dish looks like a piece of art with the tails intact. They offer smoked brisket with tater tots shaped like hush puppies with a very dense potato.