Brent B.
Yelp
4 stars for a solid upscale restaurant.
Chatham's Place is a little different than your standard Orlando upscale restaurant. Located down in Doctor Phillips, the best way to describe Chatham's is a speakeasy that decided to become a upscale restaurant.
I was taken to Chatham's for a corporate dinner the other night, and the first thing I noticed when I walked inside was the dark walls and low lights, which stand in stark contrast to the brightness of the rest of Restaurant Row. This atmosphere, combined with the small set of bathrooms to the right and a shelf full of first-class liquors behind the host area, makes you feel like you just entered a new era. The host gathered us all up and started walking us to our table. The interior of the restaurant is very small (probably 15 or so tables) with low lights and a man on a piano in the middle. We then went down some pre-lit stairs, walked outside, and were escorted to our own private room. A little odd, but it felt like we were being escorted to our own VIP area inside a VIP restaurant, so I didn't mind.
We took our seats and the waiters handed out menus. While I'm not a huge fan of places that don't put prices on their menus, I wasn't paying and it did affirm the fact that Chatham's is on another level. The waiters, all of whom were very polite and did fairly good work, brought out our wine and water (which they refilled often) and took our orders. I decided to order the Lobster Bisque as a starter, a Caesar Salad, and then the Grouper for dinner (although the Gumbo and Sea Bass they described as specials sounded amazing).
All three components of my meal, while not mind-blowing, combined to make for a pleasant dining experience. The Lobster Bisque comes in a fun little gravy boat-looking trey, and was fairly tasty and the perfect amount to get you ready for the next dish. The Caesar Salad was pretty standard (although there was an odd star looking piece that I seemed out of place). The Grouper was my favorite dish of the night. While I found out that it was a little spicy (something they should mention when ordering), the spice actually accentuates the fish very well and combines with the pecans to make for a unique and satisfying flavor. While I may get the Duck next time (I tried a piece from my neighbor and it was amazing), the Grouper worked very well.
Overall, Chatham's is a solid upscale restaurant with a unique speakeasy feel that provides good service and good food. If you are looking for an intimate upscale atmosphere, Chatham's is a great option to consider.