Red Star Tavern

Eh, not my favorite.
They have a great beer selection on tap but I’m not much of a beer drinker. Their happy hour is good for food (½ priced apps) but not so much for mixed drinks. They don’t even do ½ off or 2−4−1 wells like pretty much every other place. They do $ 5 for certain brands but they’re an average pour so that’s not really a deal to me.
I don’t have any complaints about any of the food there; it’s all been good, I just wish they had better drink specials.
My major complaint with this place is that is always so freakin’ hot! The first time I went, I thought that maybe their AC was on the fritz but I’ve been back a couple more times since then over the past year and it was the same way. Very uncomfortable!

Personally, I think this place is way better than the location suggests. Normally, when you think of a mall restaurant, you immediately think of something like the Ruby Tuesdays that Red Star replaced. And it does have a similar feel, sort of, but much, much nicer. The large, circular booths hold 6 people comfortably. The beer selection is quite good, and includes several locally brewed options.
The buffalo-​style chicken wings are very good, as is the buffalo style calamari — a first for me. I also really like the pretzel sticks with three different sauces to try.
I’m a sucker for BBQ burgers and the one served here doesn’t disappoint. Nor does the «Angry Tavern», a spicy but not overpowering burger variant served with sriracha and jalapeño. Obviously the buffalo sauce is a favorite of mine, because I also love their buffalo chicken pizza.
Finally, if you’re in the mood for something a little less artery-​clogging, I have really enjoyed the California chicken club. Chicken, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and like all things on this Earth with «California» in the name, avocado.
It’s a good place to go with friends, maybe as a starting point for a trip downtown. Although on more than one occasion, we’ve gotten there and just decided to stay instead of going downtown at all.

This place is the BOMB DOT COM. We went to a late dinner and feel like we couldn’t have made a better choice! Ok so I was starving and had an incredibly hard time deciding what to eat! I ended up with the buffalo chicken sandwich (I’m going through a buffalo chicken phase currently). I was completely SHOCKED when it came out. The thing was HUGE. And it was sooo yummy. I hate to say this; but I ate the entire thing. lol
Further, our waitress recommended the mac and cheese and I basically died. I think she said something about four cheeses and bread crumbs on top. It was amazzziinngggg.
The atmosphere is so chill and almost cozy. It’s in the Fashion Square Mall (first time there… didn’t even know it existed). I can’t wait to go back for drinks and a little football in the fall :)

Everything i’ve tried there has been awesome. I love the baked goat cheese! We were in a hurry to hit up the movie, our order was out in a flash!

I’ve just added Red Star Tavern to my list called «We’ll fill your gullet, but don’t even ask us to delight you.» Okay, there is no such list, but if there were …
Overpriced wines, lackluster service. Now, that’s out of the way. On to the food: I began with fried zucchini. Go to Graffiti Junktion if you have a craving for fried zucchini.
I chose a BLTT, with the extra T being turkey. Already having had the fried app, I chose broccoli as an accompaniment over French fries. Here’s a cooking hint: When you cook broccoli, just steam it lightly so that it is al dente. Don’t turn it into baby food.
I’ve never been to an Applebee’s, but Red Star would probably fit into the same category. It’s too bad too. I understand that they have Liberal Talk night on Friday evenings; at least they used to. I would award an extra star for that, but all I got today was a liberal dose of mediocrity.

No, this place isn’t Commie!!! Actually that’s what comes to mind when I hear Red Star. I think of Stalin… maybe it’s just me.
Anyways, Red Star Tavern is the brother to Bar Louie. The menu is pretty much exactly the same. Red Star just substitutes the word Tavern for Louie at Bar Louie. The food here is actually pretty good though. The portion sizes are quite large. The Wedge salad is REALLY good although probably not for you though even though it’s a salad. It’s basically a half of an entire head of ice berg lettuce topped with bacon, onions, etc with blue cheese dressing on one half and vinaigrette on the other. Most of the time I go here though I get a burger on BURGER NIGHT. It’s recently changed to pick any burger for $ 5. Not bad. When you pick a burger you can get burger patty, chicken breast, turkey burger patty or veggie patty. They don’t charge extra. NICE! You get your choice or seasoned fries or TOTS!!! Go for the tots, they are really good!
Red Star always has a Brewery of the Month where they pick a brew and it’s $ 3 pints all day all month long. This month just happens to be New Castle… good choice. I believe from 4pm to 7pm is happy hour every day. Many many beers on tap here with a full bar. Also during happy hour is ½ price appetizers (including WINGS!). Really, for the prices, this place is AWESOME!
Service here can be hit or miss. Sometimes you get a newbie server who doesn’t really know what they are doing. It’s okay though, everyone has to learn the ropes at some point. Food usually always comes out pretty quick too. It’s never too crowded. I think the one hindrance of this place is that it’s part of the Fashion Square mall. It it was it’s own building near the street, I’m sure they would be packed all. Also they have many HD big screens around the bar. Good spot for a Magic watch party.
Happy Hour: Monday thru Friday 4 pm to 7 pm
$ 5 Martinis, $ 4 Glasses of Wines
$ 3 Drafts, ½ Price Apps
Monday: 35¢ Wings, 5 pm to Close
Tuesday: $ 5 Pick Any Burger, 5 pm to Close

Do you love apples? What an amazing line!
Why? #1 because I do love apples… especially apple cider. #2 because Matt Damon delivered it in my favorite movie and put a D-​bag in his place.
What does that have to do with my review?
Mmmmm, can we say Woodchuch cider on tap? Yes, we can! It’s a rarity around the world (minus Ireland) to have cider on tap, especially my favorite brand! And, in 20 oz glasses for only a $ 1 more from the 16oz, SIGN ME UP! Amber to be exact, so wonderful for a nice addition to a girls lunch.
It def screams chain when you walk in, esp since it’s attached to the mall, but that is ok. They have this amazing app of pretzel sticks with 3 dipping sauces, all I can remember is Honey Mustard and HOLY WOW CINNAMON BUTTER! I don’t even dig cinnamon that much but holy crap this stuff was good.
They also had ESPN on at the bar which is viewable from all tables which was a huge plus! Our server was very nice too.
I went with the chicken sandwhich with provolone, onions, lettuce, tomato and other yummo stuff and it was good, however, they were grilled chicken strips and I was expecting a breast, just a little sloppy to eat. Regular fries which were ok too.
I want to go back for $ 1 burger nights and take advantage of the Amber Woodchuck on tap! FTW!

So not many places get 4 stars in my opinion but Red Star has absolutely catered to our every whim for the past 2 NFL seasons and ranks as our favorite sports bar in town.
Over the years, they have done an exceptional job of making sure we feel at home, even going so far as to ensure I have my favorite Sunday staple, Zing Zang.
The food is great, some of our favs include the bruchetta, blackened chicken nachos, pretzel sticks, and mini cheeseburgers. A fantastic selection of beers combined with the food and large HD screens playing a multitude of games makes Red Star a must stop on game days!
We thank our favorite bartenders, Willa, Ed, Molly, and Sam (miss u Sam) for making every Saints game a memorable one! You guys and gals are the best!!!

I do believe Ive had some positive tips for this place. & until last week, I was a dedicated patron. Very close & convenient to work for lunch breaks, I frequented here at least once a week. In the beginning, I had one bad experience after another. I remember ordering the Cuban sandwich & completely hating it, was disgusting. & the server was so slow that my time was up & I couldnt order anything else & had to go back to work. Friends had to convince me to go again after that visit. They were just starting out, so I kept giving them more chances & the food & service got slightly better… but not much. You really couldnt beat their happy hour, though. From 4−6(or7), half off all appetizers & $ 3 drafts. & they have GREAT drafts. The place had been hit or miss, but their happy hour during lunch break was worth it.
This last visit, WAS the last visit. I spoke slightly highly of this place to my boy, & this was his first (& last) visit. We came during the slow time, almost 4pm. Its a seat-​yourself kind of place so we walked in & saw the server acknowledge us & smile & we picked a booth & sat down. She (the server) sat down in a booth in the back, packed with her friends. She was there for a longgg 10 minutes without bringing us a menu or asking us our drink order. There was a bartender working & a guy walked by once saying the girl in the booth with her friends would be right with us. Still waiting, I had to get up & go get her! & ask for a menu & drinks! Which, of course, she was annoyed by. She was so rude & obviously didnt want to be there, didnt want to take our order & any conversing she had to do with us was just excruciating for her. I was on a much longer lunch break than I was allowed, because of her terrible terrible service. She brought our drinks after the meals, & I must have asked for a side of ranch 3 or 4 times which never even came. Honestly, thats what kept me coming back to this place is their ranch. It is THE BEST ranch I have ever had in my entire life. I feel like plankton from Spongebob going into this place, with a scheme to steal their ranch recipe ;)
Anyways, I feel bad for Red Star for have hired this terrible server. Because they lost a few good regulars. The experience was just so bad that I have too pride to ever go back. My anger for this server has surpassed my appetite for their ranch~

Pretty decent fare for a chain bar/​restaurant that’s attached to a mall. Backhanded compliments aside, Red Star has a surprisingly diverse menu, good beer selection, comfy chairs and TVs. No complaints there. The Angry Tavern burger is recommended if you enjoy things that are spicy (hell, it comes with an entire jalapeño pepper on top).
File this one under pleasant surprises.

Okay on Tuesday nights this place has 1 $ burgers (lettuce, patty, and bun), and for 50 cents-​1 $ you can add additional toppings.
My husband loves that the burgers are a dollar, and really enjoyed the wedge salad (which was good), but I didn’t think the burger was something I would come back for despite the price. It wasn’t horrible, but the patty was the kind you’d buy prepackaged and frozen at Costco, and it wasn’t very juicy :(Give me a greasy Five guys or Wendy’s for that matter for a few bucks more.
I will admit that my husband’s Wedge Salad was good, but I decided to order a different salad… the Chop salad which was pretty much a Cobb salad, but with the addition of chicken, avocado, carrots, and garbanzo beans. The salad seemed to be missing the carrots when I got it, the beans were too hard, and the avocado was a bit scarce. As for the chicken it was the kind you’d get on a sub at Subways… Did I mention this salad was 12.99 $? Ouch.
Oh well. They did have some nice drink specials going on, and if I’m at the mall to watch a movie I might try some apps and their drinks before a show, but I’m not sure I’ll bother with the burger or salads again.

Delicious and the kitchen is open late after theatre shows!

I hit up Red Star Tavern yesterday before the Magic game with some friends. I’ll start off by say $ 1 burger Tuesdays! Then I’ll say ½ off appetizers AND $ 3 drafts (including Woodchuck Cider!) That all = a pretty sweet deal so far. The burger was a decent burger and their pretzel appetizer thing (sorry, I don’t know the «official» name) is quite delicious.
Our server wasn’t very great. I don’t know if he was having an off night or something, but he just seemed rather confused. About everything. The environment was okay — they didn’t seem to have good seating for larger parties. When I changed the number of people from 3 to 6 they almost had a heart attack trying to figure out what to do. And he wasn’t too pleased when we told him separate checks.
All in all, not a bad place to go get some beers/​burgers, etc, etc.

Still loving the half priced apps during happy hour. The chicken nachos are a dream with the fresh jalapenos, and definitely big enough to share!
They have started doing Trivia here on Wednesday nights, care of
That was fun, though it did go a bit long.
Still, not a bad spot for a good drink and bar food, but not super high on my list of Orlando restaurants.

I’m upgrading red star one star for $ 1.00 burger nights on Tuesday. What a great deal, yes you will upgrade your burger with add ons so it costs around $ 3.00, but it is still a great deal on a great tasting burger. Add some tater tots and you have a full meal. Red Star is a nice place to hang out for some casual dining.

This is totally my go-​to place when visiting Orlando now. Not only is it one of the only decent places that are open late (2 a.m.), but the food is great and the entertainment is too.
Their extensive menu of electic burgers (which can be substituted for turkey burgers!) is something you’ll want to try, menu item by menu item everytime you go. Then there’s the rest of the food items including everything from po boys to salads. Everything has something special — it’s a feast for your eyes. I had the Greek turkey burger which had goat cheese, cucumbers, spinach, olives (although I asked for no olives), tomato and last but not least tzatziki sauce. The turkey burger itself was delicious, but the blending of all these flavors tasted amazing.
If you come here, do not substitute your fries. I know, I know, not good for the diet, but seriously the fries here are to die for. They basically taste like lime tostitos x10. This ain’t your grandmother’s fries!
My waiter was super friendly and attentive and although I’m not a big fan of live music at restaurants, the music here was not at all annoying. They had a dude playing acoustic guitar singing stripped down versions of pop songs that were quite endearing. The atmosphere is casual, laid back and fun. A perfect place for friends to sit down and have a fabulous meal and wash it all down with a beer before hitting up Orlando’s night life.

I’m pretty sure I have found my new favorite place to eat and drink when I am in Orlando. With a full bar and a variety of beers, there is something for everyone who wants to satisfy their alcoholic tendency.
On my visit, they were having $ 3 specials on draft Sam Adams and I tried the Cherry Wheat brew and i absolutely loved it. If i can only find that in stores, I will be a happy camper!
After looking through their extensive food menu, i settled on their Shrimp Po-​Boy sandwich with a side of seasoned fries. The shrimp wasn’t breaded as it traditionally is in New Orleans. Here, the shrimp was seasoned and grilled… to perfection. Stuffed into a warm cibatta bread with lettuce, tomato and chipotle mayo, i devoured it in seconds. The fries here… are out of this world. They have this citrus-​y, lemon-​y kick that is like something I have never tasted before, especially with french fries. I’d be happy just eating a plate of fries! My friends had the Greek Turkey burger with Tsaziki sauce and they loved it as well.
It’s a shame that I don’t live in Orlando because I’m positive I would be trying out this place at least twice a week. From what I could see when I was there, there is nightly music entertainment and happy hour specials from 4−7pm.
Definitely give this place a shot when you are in Orlando and want to get away from the tourist traps and conventional eateries. It may be out of the way for you tourists, but well worth the drive!

I ordered the backyard bbq burger. The fried onions on the burger was surprisingly delish. Although i was pleased to be able to substitute fries for the black beans and rice, it arrived look warm. Overall the meal was fantastic, and the atmosphere was awsome !

Red Star Tavern is located on the side of Fashion Square Mall, and while I am never too impressed with their food options, it is a good place to go for a quick drink or 3 after a long day of work. It is open late, which is nice, and some of the food options are sufficient, but overall is not adding anything to Orlando’s dining experience.
The burgers here are pretty monstrous and can be shared, and the prices are good. They have a few decent appetizers and sandwiches, but overall the menu is pretty small. My recommendation is to have a few drinks here before eating and I am sure your meal will taste dandy.

Identity crisis!
This local eatery has the image of a martini bar/​upscale restaurant, yet it fails on a few levels to deliver that promise.
As we walked in the door, we first noticed the people. It was as if Wing Shack had sent over some of their finest to steak out the joint! A couple rough-​around-​the-​edges blokes were bellied up at the bar glaring at the big screen sports up above them. Is this place a Bud Light bar or what?
The menu is limited, but it has 2 or 3 interesting things on it. Burgers, Pasta, Steak, and Lousiana fare round out the more normal items. They also feature 4 pizzas, none of which are remotely traditional: cajun (chicken, shrimp, sausage), BBQ pork, something with alfredo sauce and one with a goat cheese/​veggie palate. I got the prime rib french dip. It was actually decent. $ 11. My friends got a pasta/​pesto dish and a chicken breast platter. Both were over $ 12, no salad included. They seemed to like their meal though.
The liquor drink selection has some depth. 3 types of Mojitos? Cool! But the beer menu is a ruse. Many of the beers listed on the menu are not available at this Orlando location. My friend had to order through about 4 or 5 beers before he hit the jackpot. Is it that difficult to revise a menu to save your staff the embarassment of apologizing for your restaurants’ poor planning?
The staff was courteous, but left something to be desired. Maybe more experience?
The décor is like a martini bar meets Denny’s. Cozy booths with a bad color scheme and too much lighting! There were also some tables «shoved» in the back of the restaurant right in front of the kitchen double doors which constantly swing open. Bad design. The choice of music is awful. There we were, trying to be like the Rat Pack, yet we had to endure bad pop rock ala Nickleback. It just didn’t seem to fit the image they were striving for. If I’m going to pay $ 10 for a hamburger, try to class the place up a bit.
Semi sexual enlarged photographs on the walls also created confusion. Sex paired with NFL games? Doesn’t not compute!
My advice to this place: if you’re going for a swanky upscale martini bar look, then dim the damn lights, change the music to some form of jazz or eclectic music, put the TV’s on mute, get rid of the cheesy electric dartboard in the corner. That’s a start anyway…
*Red Star Tavern is the old Ruby Tuesday’s attached to the Fashion Square Mall.