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Tue-Sat. 4:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
If you don't LOVE steak, then don't come here. Reason: the steaks are unbelievably good, but their non-steak dishes are anything but special. The eggplant parmigiana is bland, the broccoli is bland, they don't have an extensive a la carte side dish list, they don't have salads except for the house salads that come with the entrees, and the pastas are not special at all. Now, let's talk about the steak. 18 ounce New York strip for $33. $33 is a very reasonable price considering the amount of taste and flavor that explodes from it. It is perfectly seasoned and aged. High end steak and middle-end steak prices. The 18 ounce Sirloin is not as much of a finer cut as the NY Strip, but they still pass the test with flying colors as the Sirloin cooked medium rare will guarantee you an adventure as far as flavors and juices. With the steaks, you always get a house salad, hot bread, and a side dish. I recommend the steak fries as the side dish. They really go perfectly with the kind of robust flavor you're going to find in the steak. They also have T-Bones, Filet Mignons, and Prime Ribs. For appetizer, you can get something called an "onion crown" which is alot like the Outback Bloomin Onion. In a word, delicious. But, as sure as it's delicious, it's also very unhealthy. I generally like the ambience. I especially like the Lounge area where this is a little pond and a fire in the middle. The bar area looks classy, but you will pay classy prices for the alcohol. I was a little disappointed that they didn't have Glenfiddich scotch, but they did have Glenlevitt, and they poured about double the amount of scotch you would get at most steakhouses and only charged $1 extra. Scotch and steak is a tradition of mine and an important constituent of my steakhouse experience.
My biggest and maybe only problem with my experience was the service. In no way was the service high-end steakhouse type service. It took a while for the server to greet us, when we finished our salads, the empty salad plates were left sitting on our table for 20-25 minutes and the server saw this many times, but chose to neglect it. It was also very difficult to get a hold of him and communicate with him. I was expecting alot in terms of service since every high-end steakhouse that I've been to will give me the service I expect. The server did look busy as they gave him 6 tables to handle, but the restaurant should have somebody going around picking up plates.
I also would have liked the place alot more if there were some good a la carte side dishes like mashed potatoes, creamed spinach, and potatoes au grautin. Also, some salads that you can get as an entree or to pay a few extra dollars for in lieu of the house salad. I always look forward to a bleu cheese wedge salad when I go to a steakhouse, but they didn't have any salad options. The salad tasted like any salad you can get at any restaurant.
That being said, the steaks and steak fries were incredible. Everything else was average at best. I find it hard to validate being a regular here when you have the complete package in steakhouses at Kres Chop House on Church Street. I guess the allure of Linda's as opposed to Kres is that it's a more casual feel and atmosphere. Also, the steaks come with a lot of food as opposed to most steakhouses which will make you pay for everything separately.
The steaks were incredibly tender and flavorful. My 4 start review is for that. What disappointed me was our slow and bland server who missed out on extra drink orders and took a long time to even take our orders. The plentiful warm bread didn't taste homemade and my steamed broccoli was soggy. However others in the party did enjoy the steak fries. I had the mini surf n turf. 6 spicy shrimp and a 4 oz steak. $24 and not a bite leftover.
Don't let the name fool you, there is nothing remotely Mexican or hispanic about this place at all.
What is not confusing is the steak.
Prior to eating here, I wasn't much for plopping down big bucks for a hunk of meat. This place changed my mind however.
I blame places like Sizzler, which I grew up eating every weekend, or places like Outback which is overpriced and way overrated.
Their recipe is simple: good quality aged meat, seasoned with salt and cooked in butter.
Something magical happens when you apply high amounts of heat to a piece of meat covered in butter. It's the best way to enjoy a steak.
Is it as good as a steak found at Morton's or Ruth's Chris or whatever? I don't know.. I have never been able for afford places like that.
I can afford Linda's, prices ranging from $16 to $40 for their largest cut of meat.. Not bad. Definitely worth the trip outside of the tourist trap of I Drive.
Great steaks! Whenever we end up in Orlando for a trade-show we make it a point to stop by here and get a nice steak dinner. Their cooking method is truly genius, and makes for a great tasty steak every time, and I'm not even that big of a steak person! The quality is always excellent and the service is always good - even for our large and probably very annoying group! Plus they have a pond with a flame in it? And they wonder why it burned down? LOL
I ate at La Cantina with a large group for my mother-in-law's birthday. First impression - cool atmosphere. I like the history of the place and all the era's that this business has survived. The business has been around since 1947 and has made it through a lot of challenges, including a fire in 1994 that destroyed the restaurant. It is a staple of the East Orlando area!
The decor was recently updated when I visited and it was a warm and inviting atmosphere. Our waitress was attentive and friendly and basically the whole experience was pretty nice!
There is nothing more satisfying than a well-cooked and quality piece of steak, and I must say that La Cantina's steaks do not disappoint. They are tender and good quality meat. I also tried a bit of the Chicken Parmigiana and that was also good - but seriously if you're going to a steakhouse as respected as Linda's - just get some of that meat!
Let me preface this review by stating that I am not a steak person and therefore don't really care for places that specialize in the red meat, which is why I only gave this place 3 stars. However, Linda's is not just any steakhouse. It is one of the oldest places in the Orlando area, historic even. This place has been since before I was born and yet still manages to do great business and appeal to people from all over.
I first came here with my aunt and uncle who love the classic feel, simple menu and romantic ambience of this place. You wouldn't guess by looking at the exterior, but inside it's actually quite nice with simple, elegant decor on the interior. I order a fish dish and it wasn't bad. Their salad bar was a bit lacking though. The times I came here after that were before high school dances or with friends...and I have to admit it wasn't my choice. Nonetheless, the food was good and we enjoyed ourselves immensely. The waiters are all good at theirs and take great care of their customers.
Most of the customers here tend to be older folk, those who have either lived here for most of their lives or lived here as a kid and remember this place from their childhood. That can make for a "stuffy" atmosphere at times depending on when you go. Overall, this is not my favorite place, but a restaurant you should try at least once, especially if you are meat and potatoes kind of person.
The steaks here are the buttery, well-aged, expertly prepared type. The type we don't come across often enough.
But the salad is lackluster, the bread is boring, and the atmosphere is dingy. Oh, and the service is meh.
I've never done it before, but maybe next time I'll get just steak to go...
The steaks were good. They have a small bar, so it was a great place to watch the Lakers vs Orland NBA finals. We went with are two children and it was fine.
I am only reviewing the steaks.
My Dad takes me here when I visit home (I'm from O-town and live out of state now).
Good lord -- I love the steaks. I will not divulge the sacred cut that I love, but let's just say it doesn't taste like ass ;)
This is my son, Kerry's, favorite locally owned steak house in Orlando. We always have a great time here; it's not a chain or franchise. Naugahide booths and checkered table cloths make it feel like something out of the '50s. Steaks are great, salads wonderful. A local establishment. What could be better than an ice cold martini and a medium rare steak shared with those you love?
La Cantina is "old school Orlando" at its best. The ambiance is not much, except for the cool sunken bar with fire fountain. Their steaks are out of this world. I ALWAYS order the filet (wrapped in bacon) and my husband loves the t-bone.
Best steakhouse in Orlando. This place is has been a family owned business for 60 years. We walked in and it seemed everyone knew each other but they all took the time to talk to us as well. Customers talked to us from other tables but it wasn't a bother-it was all fun. The excellent service and food was a delightful ending to a busy day. I can see why they have so many regular customers. Our salads were crisp lettuce with tomatoes and homemade garlicky croutons that tasted fried. My blue cheese dressing was homemade and creamy with no overpowering taste. We had perfectly seasoned, and cooked, sirloin and petite filet steaks. I could see before ordering that the sides were huge so I stuck with the traditional baked potato. No disappointment there. The decor was an old school white paneling with black trim. The ladies room had a french feel to it with chic shoes as a theme. If I lived in Orlando this would be on my regular rotation.
good place for steaks, surprisingly reasonablely priced without that "chain" feel.
Neighborhood: Winter Park
Category: Steakhouses
Neighborhood: Baldwin Park
Category: Steakhouses
Orlando, FL
Category: Seafood
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