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Hollywood, FL - Need Recommendations!

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Hi, a group of my girl friends and I will be going down to FL in less than a week. While only one of us has been to Miami/South Beach and has hit mainly all the big-name restaurants in the area, we're actually staying in Hollywood. We'll have a car so driving around Hollywood won't be an issue, but in trying to save expenses, where can five women in their early 30s find good food to eat? Sushi is out of the question since we have two pregnant women in the group, and one woman doesn't eat meat/poultry/pork. Otherwise, any cuisine is game. Good places for breakfast - pastries, baked goods, coffee! - and maybe places with lunch specials? Any establishments we should try?

Thanks very much!

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  1. Breakfast- head to Giorgio's Bakery. You can sit outside on the water plus they have a bakery with pastries.

    If you want to eat on the beach try Sugar Reef on the Broadwalk

    If you like Ceviche there is a Peruvian restaurant in downtown Hollywood called Goyo El Pollo.

    Not sure Le Tub is an option with your group but still worth a mention

    Armadillo Beach just north in Dania is great for lunch

    Causal dinner spot in the area that is good for a group try Piola Pizza in Hallandale Beach

    Other dinner options include
    Fulvio's, Lola's on Harrison and Timo (south of Hollywood). Opa is perfect for a 30's group BUT not sure with two pg's.

    similar recent threads

    Lola's on Harrison
    2032 Harrison Street, Hollywood, FL 33020

    , FL

    Armadillo Beach
    1200 S Federal Hwy, Dania Beach, FL 33004

    Fulvio's 1900
    1900 Harrison St, Hollywood, FL 33020

    Le Tub
    1100 N Ocean Dr, Hollywood, FL 33019

    Goyo El Pollo Florida I
    Pembroke Rd Dixie Hwy, Hollywood, FL 33020

    Giorgio's Bakery & Bistro
    800 N Ocean Dr, Hollywood, FL 33019

    Sugar Reef
    600 N Surf Rd, Hollywood, FL 33019

    2 Replies
    1. re: The Chowfather AKA sobe

      I just want to be clear that the Sugar Reef recommendation is more for breakfast/lunch than dinner and it is setting based. Dinner is so so but the location is hard to beat. Steps from the beach so if eating on the beach is important it is worth a shot.

      1. re: The Chowfather AKA sobe

        Thanks so very much for all these suggestions. We went to Lola's on Harrison and really enjoyed the meal. The waiter was attentive, the portions were plenty, and the prices were on par with the service & quality of food. We would've liked to have gone to Hollywood Vine, but didn't have the opportunity to do so.

        We also ate at Padrino's (well, take out) and Cafe Senor. I don't eat meat, so I didn't get to try the sandwiches at Padrino's, but my friends all seemed to like them. The breakfast at Cafe Senor (on S. Federal Hwy) was cheap, and the portions were big, so it was a hit. Reminded me of La Villita Bakery in Williamsburg (Brooklyn, NY). My friends loved the coffee - enough so that we went next door to the grocery store and they bought some Pilon to take home with them.

        If we'd had more time, we would've loved to have tried out more of your suggestions, but should I ever find myself back there, I'll have this list.


      2. there's a great wine bar on Harrison called Hollywood Vine. In the way of food all they serve is cheese. But they have an arrangement with a few close restaurants that you can bring dinner into the shop and eat with some neat wines by the glass.

        1. La Barraca for tapas dinner. check it out for dinner with dancing and music.


          1 Reply
          1. re: Raboi

            Just got back from Lola's on Harrison. Great meal, service a little weak but all in all a great meal! Made the choice of Lola's based on this thread. Had the salmon tartar and the chicken breast, Yum!

            Since it is the middle of the week I held off on dessert to get home for my instant Jello pudding, but I definitely plan to go back if looking for something outside of Miami and the Beaches.

          2. The original comment has been removed
            1. The best restaurant meal I've had in the last several months was at Mezes Greek Taverna in Pembroke Pines; just get on Hollywood Blvd and go west for about 20 minutes (unless it's rush hour).

              I'm a huge pain in the neck restaurant patron, but everything about this meal was utterly perfect. We were taken there by Greek friends who had the grilled octopus, something they don't usually order in a restaurant because if handled incorrectly it can be tough. I was told that one of the owners cooks; they visited our table a couple of times to check up on us, asking specific questions about the food. Overall, their attention to detail was impressive. My grilled vegetable sandwich was sublime. And the stuffed dolma...I could write a poem about them, plump and lemony and not oily, well spiced; the rice tasted fresh. The deserts had a homemade feel to them, larger chunks of nuts in the baklava, no horrible synthetic taste in the honey sauce. Really, I can't say enough about this place.

              10040 Pines Blvd
              Pembroke Pines, FL 33024
              (954) 430-1725