Crazy requests from Alaskans coming to Miami and FLL

We are staying at the Fairfield Inn & Suites Fort Lauderdale Airport for one night before our cruise and would like to hit up the Hard Rock that evening. Is that walkable?

We are a group of 5 and been over a year since we have had chain foods or fast food other than McDonalds or Subway :(.

We are staying at the Doubletree Grand Hotel Biscayne Bay

The requests are:

Popeyee's or Arby's

Chinese buffet, preferable with mongolian grill

Golden Corral

Chick Fila

And of course the Hard Rock there as well.

Thanks for any and all suggestions.

There is the Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood,Fl. Not in walking distance of Ft.L. ;)

We are staying at the Fairfield Inn & Suites Fort Lauderdale Airport for one night before our cruise ...

We are staying at the Doubletree Grand Hotel Biscayne Bay...

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Your post is very confusing :confused: - which of the two hotels you list are you staying at? :confused: One is near FLL and the other in downtown Miami and neither is close to the Hardrock.

The Doubletree in Miami is not too far from Bayside Market with lots of chain dining options - Chili's, Hooters, etc.

We are staying at the Fairfield Inn & Suites Fort Lauderdale Airport for one night before our cruise and would like to hit up the Hard Rock that evening. Is that walkable?

We are a group of 5 and been over a year since we have had chain foods or fast food other than McDonalds or Subway :(.

We are staying at the Doubletree Grand Hotel Biscayne Bay

The requests are:

Popeyee's or Arby's

Chinese buffet, preferable with mongolian grill

Golden Corral

Chick Fila

And of course the Hard Rock there as well.

Thanks for any and all suggestions.

South Florida is not a great place to try and find a good Chinese buffet. I don't know of a single one. Unfortunately, you'll find subways everywhere.

Hopefully Carolyn can help you with downtown.

South Florida is not a great place to try and find a good Chinese buffet. I don't know of a single one. Unfortunately, you'll find subways everywhere.

 

Hopefully Carolyn can help you with downtown.

You list 2 hotels so I'm not sure which you are staying at. One is in Fort Lauderdale and one is in downtown Miami. So for Miami....

Forget the chinese food around here, it's awful. I don't know of any buffets for Chinese in the area either.

There is a 5 Guys in the Bayside Marketplace and 5 Guys is great! (Burgers) Love having the peanuts while I wait for the food to be ready. This is a fast food place.

No Arby's, no Popeye's close or in an area you would want to be in, No Golden Corral anywhere close, no chick fila. You would have to take Uber or a taxi pretty far to get to any of these and for fast food, so not worth it!

We do have our own homegrown fast food, Pollo Tropical and it is fantastic. Sort of like a Latino Chick fil A.

All organic free range chicken.

Sorry we are staying at both. FLL one on our way in the Doubletree is for 4 nights post cruise.

Thanks for the information. Unfortunately after living in Naples, Italy for over 3 years and then moving straight to Alaska we probably wouldn't remember what really good chinese food is lol. The middle child wants that.

Looks like we will all be disappointed with our choices lol.

Will you have a car in Miami? Will open your chances for beach activities and restaurants.

Bayside mall, as mentioned has fast food type places along the waterfront.

Looks like we will all be disappointed with our choices lol.

I've heard Rainbow Palace in Fort Lauderdale is very good but there is no buffet.

There is a Chick Fil A on Federal Highway right past 26th Street.

Unfortunately after living in Naples, Italy for over 3 years and then moving straight to Alaska we probably wouldn't remember what really good chinese food is lol. The middle child wants that.

I'm fascinated that you have a child who wants Chinese food, and I think this should be encouraged. You can certainly find (or have delivered) something; just ask at the front desk of your hotel. It may not be great---in fact, I can pretty much guarantee that it won't be (for that, you should come visit NYC, where you can find not only great versions of Americanized things like General Tso's Chicken and cold sesame noodles, but the real stuff---which many Americans hate because it's really, really different) but the South Florida stuff won't kill anyone. There are some really great places in NYC near NYU in the Village and on W. 42nd Street near the Chinese consulate that have authentic dishes, usually on a separate menu. The area around NYU is also really good for great Japanese street food.

...we probably wouldn't remember what really good chinese food is lol. The middle child wants that.

You will probably find enough Chinese and Asian inspired food on the cruise to make him happy. ;)

We stayed at the Doubletree a couple years ago, and there is a Chinese restaurant in the little shopping area between the Doubletree and the Marriot. It is not a buffet, but it was very good. Kind of expensive, but not too bad at lunch.

Claudia

I'm fascinated that you have a child who wants Chinese food, and I think this should be encouraged. You can certainly find (or have delivered) something; just ask at the front desk of your hotel. It may not be great---in fact, I can pretty much guarantee that it won't be (for that, you should come visit NYC, where you can find not only great versions of Americanized things like General Tso's Chicken and cold sesame noodles, but the real stuff---which many Americans hate because it's really, really different) but the South Florida stuff won't kill anyone. There are some really great places in NYC near NYU in the Village and on W. 42nd Street near the Chinese consulate that have authentic dishes, usually on a separate menu. The area around NYU is also really good for great Japanese street food.

This is great but the OP is in South Florida. It isn't that Chinese around here is bad, it just doesn't exist. We don't have an Asian population. At all.

I'm fascinated that you have a child who wants Chinese food, and I think this should be encouraged. You can certainly find (or have delivered) something; just ask at the front desk of your hotel. It may not be great---in fact, I can pretty much guarantee that it won't be (for that, you should come visit NYC, where you can find not only great versions of Americanized things like General Tso's Chicken and cold sesame noodles, but the real stuff---which many Americans hate because it's really, really different) but the South Florida stuff won't kill anyone. There are some really great places in NYC near NYU in the Village and on W. 42nd Street near the Chinese consulate that have authentic dishes, usually on a separate menu. The area around NYU is also really good for great Japanese street food.

I am a New Yorker and just had a bunch of great chinese 3 weeks ago when I was up there. Including the amazing soup dumplings at Joe's Shanghai twice, but the chinese food in south florida can be so bad that you end up throwing it out. It can seriously be that bad! And that is a waste of money. Usually in Miami the people that are making the food speak Spanish and are not Chinese like up in NYC.

I'm sitting in the Admiral's club in LAX right now waiting for my flight to Hawaii and tomorrow will be eating in chinatown on Oahu which I'm excited about.

I=.

 

I'm sitting in the Admiral's club in LAX right now waiting for my flight to Hawaii and tomorrow will be eating in chinatown on Oahu which I'm excited about.

HA! The hubs is currently stuck in CLT trying to get out to MIA. I'm pissed because I'm going to have to drive down there at God knows what time.

Have fun in Hawaii!!

Wow sorry to have started up a controversial thread.

All 3 of my kids love different foods. Thankfully living in Europe helped with that.

Looks like our best bet for Chinese may be the Seattle area instead then.

We have ok Chinese here in Sitka, but it is just that ok. May have to convince him that when we finally make it back to HI he can get some there.

And like mentioned hopefully he will get enough on the ship that he won't be too upset.

As for a rental car, we haven't full decided. It is kind of a must have? We have no issues using public transport:D

Thanks again all.

As for a rental car, we haven't full decided. It is kind of a must have? We have no issues using public transport:D

 

Thanks again all.

If you want to visit Hard Rock from your FLL hotel a rental car may work out best - especially if you use it for other shopping and dining trips plus as transport to Miami for your cruise. Avis, Budget and Hertz have downtown Miami locations close to POM (about a $12+tip cab if they do not offer shuttles). National, Alamo & Thrifty offer free POM shuttles from their MIA airport location - saving you the "excitement" of driving in downtown Miami traffic. ;) Otherwise you will spend about $13-15+ per person for shared shuttle service from the FLL area to POM.

You do not need or want a car while staying at the Doubletree - it is valet only parking for about $30 a day and traffic is horrible. :(

Many moons ago my family and I spent almost 3+ years in Rota Spain, and all my kids dreamed about when returning to the US were the cheddar-cheese biscuits at Red Lobster. :confused: I know what you are going through with your three - good luck! :)

Wow sorry to have started up a controversial thread.

All 3 of my kids love different foods. Thankfully living in Europe helped with that.

Looks like our best bet for Chinese may be the Seattle area instead then.

We have ok Chinese here in Sitka, but it is just that ok. May have to convince him that when we finally make it back to HI he can get some there.

And like mentioned hopefully he will get enough on the ship that he won't be too upset.

As for a rental car, we haven't full decided. It is kind of a must have? We have no issues using public transport:D

 

Thanks again all.

Not controversial at all! We are happy to help.

Trust me, I'm jonesing for some good Chinese!

It's been awhile since I was in Miami, but I think there is a Hard Rock at Bayside Market Place.

It's been awhile since I was in Miami, but I think there is a Hard Rock at Bayside Market Place.

You have an interesting point. We all just assumed that the OP was looking for the Hard Rock Casino and Hotel that we never thought they were maybe just looking for the Hard Rock Care at Bayside!!

OP, which is it that you are looking for?

And to the OP, not a controversial question at all. I'm a mom of 3 and understand each wanting something. I just wanted you to know that the chinese in Miami is pretty awful. Sounds like you already have that up in Alaska. If still do want chinese, then there is a place called 3 Chefs and it's the best of what we have found so far. They have on in both downtown and Brickell.

If you want to visit Hard Rock from your FLL hotel a rental car may work out best - especially if you use it for other shopping and dining trips plus as transport to Miami for your cruise. Avis, Budget and Hertz have downtown Miami locations close to POM (about a $12+tip cab if they do not offer shuttles). National, Alamo & Thrifty offer free POM shuttles from their MIA airport location - saving you the "excitement" of driving in downtown Miami traffic. ;) Otherwise you will spend about $13-15+ per person for shared shuttle service from the FLL area to POM.

 

You do not need or want a car while staying at the Doubletree - it is valet only parking for about $30 a day and traffic is horrible. :(

 

Many moons ago my family and I spent almost 3+ years in Rota Spain, and all my kids dreamed about when returning to the US were the cheddar-cheese biscuits at Red Lobster. :confused: I know what you are going through with your three - good luck! :)

Thanks for the info John. Will keep all of that in mind.

And so glad that someone else knows the pain I am going through lol. Thankfully we were able to get Red Lobster in Norfolk just before heading to Anchorage.

And now we cringe at Italian places as nothing tastes like it did in Italy lol.

Thanks again all. As for the Chinese, hopefully we can find something in Seattle before heading to Miami :).

The hard Rocks unfortunately the husband collects the glasses from there so we have to visit both, no interest in the casino part just the glass :) Is there not a cafe inside the casino? I just assumed there was. haha I guess that is what I get for assuming huh.

Since the Golden corral gets horrible reviews, what are good alternatives? Is there something like a Ryans or Western Sizzler etc...? I think he just wants southern style food at a buffet.

Again appreciate all of the info, if we don't find the chinese in Seattle then hopefully we can try the 3 chefs or the one between the 2 hotels that was mentioned.

Thanks again all. As for the Chinese, hopefully we can find something in Seattle before heading to Miami :).

 

 

Since the Golden corral gets horrible reviews, what are good alternatives? Is there something like a Ryans or Western Sizzler etc...? I think he just wants southern style food at a buffet.

 

Not buffet but maybe you would like Cracker Barrel.

http://www.crackerbarrel.com/

I have a couple of suggestions. PF Chang at the Galleria Mall in Ft. Lauderdale. The other is Pei Wei located on the 17th Street Causeway. Both serve Chinese and Asian type food and both are chains.