It’s a common conundrum, particularly when you’re on vacation and have been cramming in theme-park excitement end-to-end all day. You want to have dinner and go out, but you’re pretty sure that once the check comes, you’ll be bound for bed. Enter the convenient advent of the dinner show. Orlando is rife with options, from the cheeky downtown drag of Hamburger Mary’s to the clubby glamour of late nights on I-Drive.
Dinner's a drag
Hamburgers are great. Designer burgers? Often better. But burgers and drag queens? That’s off the chart by anyone’s standards, particularly when the show is free, the food is tasty and the drinks have cheeky names (“Total Top” Margarita, anyone? Hmm, perhaps you’re more the “Bossy Bottom” type.). Saturday evenings are hosted by raucous ringleader Leigh Shannon and features a bevy of bawdy female impersonators. Reservations are mandatory; this show is popular.
Life is but a drag at Hamburger Mary's. — Photo courtesy of Hamburger Mary's Orlando
Café Cubano
Bienvenido a Cuba Libre, the Orlando installation of a franchise with locations in Philly, Atlantic City and Washington, D.C. Its faux-village décor may seem a tad, well – Orlando in its “created” sense, but its essence is authentic – as are the generously poured cocktails and Nuevo Cubano cuisine. Come “Bailamos Saturday,” its late-night floorshow heats up the main room with scintillating dancers and a DJ spinning hot salsa, merengue, Latin house and more. Grab a mojito and settle in for a sizzling night of Cuban soul.
Hot merengue pairs well with a cool blueberry mojito. — Photo courtesy of Cuba Libre
It’s all Greek….
At Pointe Orlando, visitors and locals alike enjoy a virtual trip to Greece via Taverna Opa, where patrons walk in buttoned-up and out as burgeoning belly dancers. Performers here are tops at inspiring audience involvement with traditional dancing, fire shows and a DJ. Before long, napkins are flying and your date is dancing on the table. It should be noted that the Ouzo helps.
Always a party at Taverna Opa. — Photo courtesy of Taverna Opa Orlando
