Russell's on Lake Ivanhoe

Great food and nice ambiance with a view overlooking a lake. If I were to be honest, the atmosphere could be enhanced with some ambient music and better lighting in the dining area. There’s a mixture of lighting that doesn’t flow well. The flow of the restaurant is not as appealing either. Also, you can see the highway as you look at the view of the lake from the dining area. Sunsets are nice but you see cars whizzing past too. The food is really very good, but does have room for improvement when it comes to the amount of salt and oil used for the octopus, and pork belly - too much. The beet salad was really good, but did have too much sauce. And the service, OMG, that’s the one thing that REALLY needs to improve. We did not appreciate the wait time for the server to take our order or after we received our order. She did not ever come back to ask if we needed more drinks or even dessert afterwards. And then we had to walk up to the bar to get our check because we saw the bartender chatting it up with 2 of the servers for over 15mins without bothering to see if we needed anything. And we noticed other patrons at the restaurant having the same unpleasant experience. Other than this, may be worth it to get some other dishes that could be cooked right. Worth trying once at least. Who knows, you may get better service and food 🤷🏽‍♀️

Wonderful Experience! We went to the 5 year anniversary event last week and it was fantastic. The owners, Zoe & Phillipe were incredibly gracious and kind. The space, layout and view are spectacular. We enjoyed several menu items but my favorite were the beef carpaccio and the short ribs. To die for! I highly recommend this restaurant whether it's for an after work cocktail to enjoy the sunset, a romantic dinner, or a work party. It's the perfect Orlando restaurant!

Service, atmosphere, food all phenomenal. Would come back. Complimentary Valet. Classy spot to dine at on the lake. Left with a great experience

The food was amazing... everything was cooked perfectly! The cocktail drinks were delicious.... Even tho I was under dress, they made me feel so welcoming, and ALL THE EMPLOYEES were so nice.

We came here for our first wedding anniversary and it was simply lovely. The staff are a major asset to the restaurant as our server was the sweetest. She made excellent recommendations for drinks and food and was so very accommodating with us despite the restaurant getting busy. I wish I could remember her name (blonde/petite) as she really is an asset to their team. The food was fun, innovative and tasty, and the drinks were delicious. You can feel the heart of the family run business when eating here. I highly recommend this place and we will definately return. Thankyou 💫

Was so hyped up to visit this place, and was left feeling kind of so-so. The reason I primarily wasn’t happy was the service. My server waited a long time to even greet me and then when he did, I asked him a question about a drink he never brought it back then when he finally came back like 10 minutes later, I said, where is the drink and he said oh I thought you were just asking me about it…What???? Anyway, his service continues to be slow and he was not attentive during the night. It was Valentine’s Day so the restaurant was packed but before it got packed, he still wasn’t paying me any attention. My friend loved the grill octopus. I thought it was OK. I had the pork chop. I did enjoy that. I also enjoyed the espresso martinis. They had a charcuterie board. It was pretty decent, but I’ve had better. All in all we spent almost $300 and I just thought I would’ve walked away feeling much more satisfied and yet there was nothing that I was like I have to come back here again to try.

Wow - what a gem. We had brunch, and were not expecting for this lake-side restaurant to be a little wonder. We started with cocktails and coffee because it was that type of morning. The coffee was rich….deep… delicious. When we sipped our first sip of the cocktails, we knew this spot cared about their craft. The bartender mixed the drinks to be strong but smooth; the way we like it. The food was delicious. The grilled chicken wrap was on point, and the huevos rancheros was too. We decided to get a dessert because we were so impressed with the food - the bread pudding did not disappoint. The service was elite - you don’t see many places anymore that provide the level of care of fine dining in a casual atmosphere. Obviously, the staff is well selected and trained. The whole experience led to an amazing brunch for my wife and me. We will definitely return.

arguably one of the best dining experiences in the south east united states of america ! food ambience view & service if you catch an evening with phillipe , put on seat belt for an eight star evening even more !)

This was our first time here and it will it be our last! The food was delicious. We started with a charcuterie board, cocktails and then had seafood as our main dishes. We had salmon that was cooked perfection. Also, try the bread pudding The service was very professional and effective. We had a table by the lake. We felt relaxed and unhurried. We are very happy with our visit!!

We came here to celebrate a 40th birthday, and the restaurant did a nice job accommodating our large party. The views were beautiful and made for a great setting to celebrate. I ordered the Russell's Royale with Cheese, which had good flavor but could've been a bit juicier. The fries were crispy and tasty, definitely a highlight. Not totally sure the burger was worth the $19 price tag, but overall I enjoyed it. Service was a bit hit or miss. Some servers were attentive, but others not so much. Several of my friends ordered the bottomless mimosas, but with the slower service, I'm not sure they got their money's worth. At one point, our waitress was refilling other tables' waters and didn't even acknowledge me--I had to flag her down just to order a drink. The food and atmosphere were solid, but the service could use some consistency, especially for larger groups.

As a semi regular customer, I was disappointed last week when a group of us went for brunch. The food quality was not up to previous standards. Some dishes were cold. And a cold sandwich was the last thing to come out of the kitchen. There was no live music, but the canned music was so loud it impeded conversation greatly. Music volume is dynamic and should be adjusted based on number of guests. Sadly, the restaurant was relatively slow at 1230 brunch. We stayed until about 2. Business was mediocre. The service was not up to speed. Our waiter was adequate, at best. He never made an effort to enhance our dining experience or show much interest. He was mostly elsewhere. Desert was never offered. The food runner was personable and friendly. In the Men's room there was a pond in front of the urinal. This was an unwelcome surprise Returning will not be a priority, unfortunately. Overall, our group felt the business seemed to be at a low point.

I was looking for a restaurant in this area and selected Russell's. Make a reservation thru Open Door to ensure you are able to secure a table. Valet parking is available in a limited parking lot. Pretty location right off the lake. Large bar area with large dining area. Had table with a view of the lake. On this evening the restaurant was still offering Valentine's Day menu in addition to regular menu. Bread is served however since the restaurant had just opened for the evening it did take awhile to be brought to our table. The Bread was served warm with butter. Ordered: Oysters on the 1/2 shell which are served with a minuet sauce and NOT served with any kind of Cocktail/Hot Sauce or Horseradish. Only one type of Oyster is offered, thankfully the Oysters served this evening were medium sized. Zucchini Fritters ordered with a side of Ranch Dressing which is a bit watery. The Zucchini Fritters were nice golden brown however did have a small burnt taste, I attested to the blackened sesame seeds. Seared Scallops Pappardelle - subbed Broccolini for the pasta. The Scallops needed more seasoning and was suppose to be served with a Garlic Lemon Sauce which was brought to the table 1/2 way thru me eating my scallops and was just dropped off with no explanation so I had no idea what the sauce was for. It seemed I received far more broccolini than necessary. The Butcher's Cut Ribeye 16 oz - subbed Aligot Potatoes for the Seasonal Veggies. The Ribye was ordered medium-rare and came out looking like it was steamed and a lot more rare for my taste. Asked for the Ribeye to be cooked an additional couple of minutes. Our entree's seemed to have taken a longer time to be served then the rest of the diners who all came in together and a couple of tables finished just as we were served. Overall nice location but most likely will not return.

Service, location, and food were all great. Our bartender Harry was super friendly and attentive! Loved his energy We started with the lobster soup (heavenly) the bread service and the pork belly. My only criticism is I wish the pork belly had more of the sauce - maybe tossed in it? Versus crispy pork belly on top of sauce at the bottom of the plate. It definitely needed the sweeter sticky sauce to coat the crispy pork. I could come back just for the lobster soup and bread combo. It's perfect. We sat down at a table overlooking Lake Ivanhoe. If you time it right, you can see a gorgeous sunset! We both got steak - a pepper crusted beef tenderloin and butchers cut ribeye. Both were served with a glaze and mashed potatoes. The cuts of meat were honestly fantastic - my tenderloin was sooo tender it almost melted in your mouth. It was a little under cooked then what I had ordered, but I made due. Now the bread pudding with the caramel whiskey glaze!? Out of this world. Definitely will be coming back for that as well.

Great brunch! Service is excellent. We sat right by the window but it seemed like you can see the lake from anywhere in the restaurant. Decently priced. Bonus - bottomless mimosas!

I don't even want to post this cuz then I wont be able to get a reservation at what I want to call MY new favorite spot! Anniversary dinner last Friday evening. We got dressed to kill and headed out with another couple. First the maitre d was very kind to help confirm that while they serve upscale cuisine, they are not stuffy, and except that Florida lifestyle. Sometimes demands more casual attire for dinner. Don't go looking like you're gonna play basketball, or fell off the back of a truck but casual clothes are accepted. Also, I was able to make the reservation online, which I love via the app. I'm pretty sure. I made it from Yelp via OpenTable, it is very easy to confirm and modify your reservation. The ambience is lovely. Don't worry about parking they have complimentary valet (this does not mean free it means tip those valet folks!). The wait staff were so accommodating to us as we were celebrating our anniversary and had a number of gifts for one another (more on this later). The dining room almost entirely overlooks Lake Ivanhoe. Our reservation was for 7 PM so the sun was going down and the view was very nice. After sunset you could see the lights on the surrounding city skyline sparkle in the distance. We sat at a four top and the dining room noise level was perfect for conversation. Now let's talk about the bar and food. We tried three mixed cocktail beverages and loved them all: the pineapple old-fashioned was strong with just the right amount of sweetness! The lavender lemonade was a slight modification to an existing drink on the menu and it was a hit as well. The final was the cucumber gimlet, a cucumber martini that sent me back about 15 years to my younger days of hanging in downtown Orlando and drinking cucumber martinis at ladies night happy hour on Orange Avenue at the vintage. Now for the food! For an appetizer, we tried the fresh warm bread and butter, which was to die for and zucchini fries with goat cheese dip. And zucchini fries were perfectly crunchy and not squishy in the middle and the goat cheese dip had the mild tanginess desired, but was smooth and creamy similar to a ranch dip. Four unique entrées were ordered: ribeye med well w their amazing take on mashed potatoes, duck con fit w spinach, chicken kiev with potatoes and a salmon w arugula and rice. All fourdishesweredeliciousbite after bite! No mods needed, the crowd went wild!!! We almost declined dessert for fear we drank our dessert in our refills of our beverages plus a couple Stella Artois thrown in for good fashion and we were plum full from our meals but we were persuaded easily into sharing a rasberry sorbet with two small macarons. The sorbet was so flavorful and felt less sinful since technically it converts to liquid and its fruit right?! . The macarons were much the same very light and just the right balance of sweetness but not lingering on your palate like a friend that has stayed too long. I have many reasons why this is my new fav place. for loving this place: 1. Food selection and quality is awesome and the plates I saw going past me made me want to try other dishes Id already scoped on the menu. 2. Prices are more than fair for what you get. My meal lasted as leftovers for a second pass and so did the others' meals as well except for the Salmon but he was hungry and shared it with us so not much was left....it was SO good. 2. Ambiance and Staff are A1. We left one gift bag by mistake and the staff found my reservation and called me offering for us to come get it even after hours while they were cleaning for the night or the next day at brunch. 3. Its a beautiful space and very clean, even restrooms sparkled. Very florida decor passes the vibe check! Im sorry I don't have photos of the food and drinks as I was completely immersed enjoying the experience and the celebration with my people.

A great venue to hold an intimate private celebration, reception, company night etc. Wonderful friendly service and professionalism. Attended an intimate wedding celebration and was impressed all around.

Beautiful venue, went for brunch. I feel like this venue is good for group meals. There were only 4 tables filled in the dining area the entire time we were there and it just felt really hard to get timely service. There were long gaps in time between seating us, getting our drink orders, getting our drinks, ordering our food, and receiving our food. Several times during our brunch I found myself or someone in my party looking for the waitress. I ordered an omelette with fries which was good, my husband ordered a bun less burger which he enjoyed as well. I also tried a spicy raspberry margarita which was good heat-wise but lacking in raspberry flavor. I also tried the pineapple Mai tai which I enjoyed. Both drinks were strong in a good way. I'd probably only return for a cocktail in the future and eat somewhere else close by.

This place had so much promise. One simple mistake/laziness happened. I asked for no tomatoes due to an allergy. They brought my food out with tomatoes. I reminded them, they took the food back and brought me my food. Guess what? Tomatoes were in my dish (see picture). Scraping the tomatoes off my pita and returning it to me is so lazy and something a fine dining establishment shouldn't do. I had such high hopes considering the location, the service and the appetizers

Great drinks, beautiful waterside view, and delicious food. I'd recommend their mimosa and subs.

We had a great first experience at Russell's. From the cocktails to the dessert, the entire meal was a delight. The best part was the view. The lake view was beautiful and offered for a romantic setting. We will definitely be back!

I tried the Russell's brunch on a whim and I'm not sure that I would go again or invite others to go. First, the spot is awesome, looks right over the lake and on a sunny day it was perfection to watch people out and about. However, I'm not quite sure they know what they want to be. The decor is confusing, the menu isn't cohesive, and the food is merely so-so. However, the staff was excellent running about the restaurant, keeping glasses full, and explaining the menu. On Sunday, there was a guitarist, which was a nice touch, but didn't really go with the vibe. Our food was fine - nothing exciting - and nothing that I would get again. The breakfast club was highly recommended and was what you expect, nothing more. The highlight was the hash browns, which were a sub from french fries. The burger was the same way, high on the server's recommendation list, but nothing special. I really was hoping to like the place and have a new spot for dinner, but I can't bring myself to go back with the food experience we had.

Great food and nice ambiance with a view overlooking a lake. If I were to be honest, the atmosphere could be enhanced with some ambient music and better lighting in the dining area. There's a mixture of lighting that doesn't flow well. The flow of the restaurant is not as appealing either. Also, you can see the highway as you look at the view of the lake from the dining area. Sunsets are nice but you see cars whizzing past too. The food is really very good, but does have room for improvement when it comes to the amount of salt and oil used for the octopus, and pork belly - too much. The beet salad was really good, but did have too much sauce. And the service, OMG, that's the one thing that REALLY needs to improve. We did not appreciate the wait time for the server to take our order or after we received our order. She did not ever come back to ask if we needed more drinks or even dessert afterwards. And then we had to walk up to the bar to get our check because we saw the bartender chatting it up with 2 of the servers for over 15mins without bothering to see if we needed anything. And we noticed other patrons at the restaurant having the same unpleasant experience. Other than this, may be worth it to get some other dishes that could be cooked right. Worth trying once at least. Who knows, you may get better service and food ‍

The fish was cooked nicely. Service was attentive but a little slow in bringing out the food, which we didn't mind too much as we were enjoying each other's company. The zucchini fritters were very tasty, and the flower garnishes on fish were a nice touch for spring. The brussel sprouts were a bit too hard in the middle.

Stopped in for happy hour and enjoyed wonderful hand crafted cocktails made by very hospitable bartenders. This place has an elegant yet casual Florida vibe with great views of Lake Ivanhoe.

You can't go wrong with a restaurant by the water! Views of the lake and sunset are always a nice experience. The service here is excellent- they check on you frequently and are very welcoming. I had the swordfish which was perfectly cooked. Tender and the butter sauce was like icing on a cake. Would definitely come again when in town.

Took my wife for her birthday brunch to Russell's. This was our first experience and definitely not our last. The atmosphere is very relaxed and all the staff, including the owner were all very welcoming and friendly. The restaurant is setup with ample space which was very comfortable with my large wheelchair. We started with a shrimp cocktail which has very large shrimp, were very fresh (no hint of frozen), and some very good cocktail sauce that was delicious and home made. We then shared a Cesar salad that was described as having a home made dressing dating back to 1924. This was absolutely the most delicious salad and I am now definitely ruined on all other dressing, so definitely a must try. My wife had the club and I had the bun-less burger. Both were very good but honestly not as impressive as the appetizers. The dinner dishes look amazing so we are looking forward to upgrading our review once we return and try the main dishes. We highly recommend Russell's, and we will be returning soon.

Slow service in an empty restaurant. Out of multiple items on a small menu.. that leads me to pricing, it's ridiculously overpriced for the quality of food. I have been told the chef was changed a year ago and it's been going down hill ever since.

just had a wonderful Valentines dinner. This place is so beautiful and the staff is amazing. Thanks for making our night so special. Vivian Wood

My husband and I dined here for our anniversary and really enjoyed it. We made an early reservation on Friday evening to have dinner before our show at Dr. Phillip's PAC at 8pm. There is a parking lot, but it seemed valet was the only option. It was free, but tips are expected. I was a bit worried when we walked in as there was quite a line up at the hostess stand and it took almost 10 minutes for us to be recognized behind a large party and a couple with no reservations, however, things soon perked up. Our server was outstanding and very attentive. I ordered a lavender cocktail, but unfortunately they were out of lavender so I chose a glass of wine instead. I found the wine list to be limited, but I did enjoy the glass I chose. My husband had the sidecar and said it was good, but not outstanding. For our appetizer we had the Caesar salad for 2 which is made table side. It was a very nice presentation and a good Caesar, but I was hoping/expecting it to taste fresher since it was made right there. For my entrée I had the pepper crusted filet. I love a good pepper crust, but I expected more flavor to come from that crust than it did. Without the bearnaise it would have been very boring. It was a relatively large steak for the price, but I sent it back because it was way under cooked. I ordered it medium and I told our server that medium for me was very pink, but not red. She agreed that their standard for medium was the same, but it came out very red. She and my husband agreed it was medium rare. She returned a few minutes later and it was better, but I still gave a slice in the middle to my husband as it was still a bit rare for me. The aligote potatoes were a great side and pairing. My husband had the swordfish and he said it was outstanding. He loves swordfish, but is always a bit nervous about ordering it after going to another restaurant that just overcooked it so badly, but he said this one was superb. For dessert, we had the bread pudding and honestly it was a highlight. I like bread pudding, but this one was really great and a nice way to finish off the meal. Overall, I like the vibe of the place. I like the tables by the water, even if you are looking at I-4 as well. Our server was wonderful. Our food was overall good and I would come back and try something else or try brunch.

So I want to just say that the servers , bartenders and waitress were incredibly nice! I don't want this review to affect their attitude as again they were so spectacular in the positive manner they had. I also appreciated the live guitar player we had on Saturday morning for brunch . That was a great touch to the morning. To go along with the positives, I really liked the view from our table. I am not sure if they had outdoor seating but it would be nice to sit with the view when the weather gets nicer:) Now for the cons, I know restaurants everywhere are struggling with servers but my goodness the service was slow. Right when we got there about 1145 to join our two friends, we ordered champagne for bottomless mimosas and it just took around 10-15 min for us to get our drinks. The other good and drinks came slow but the initial drinks were the ones that took the longest. Our table ordered the charcuterie board which was less than appetizing. Something about the meat tasted off and we ended up telling her to throw it away. She was nice and took it off our bill. The breakfast I got was just okay, nothing super great about it but I wanted a classic breakfast so got Lakeside Breakfast. Overall, no I probably won't come back for brunch, but maybe would come back for dinner to try some of their menu items. Nothing really stuck out from me for breakfast.

To be honest I'd give them 3.5/5 but since Yelp doesn't do half points I'll state that here. I came here for brunch on a Sunday with my cousin and some of her friends. The restaurant wasn't too busy. I ordered a mimosa and the naked burger. The naked burger was good overall, but could have been better as the hash browns could use some improvement. The potato was shredded into long strands (like potato sticks chips in the can) then shaped into the hash brown and then broiled so it was like a baked crunchiness instead of a fried crunchiness that wasn't even with each bite, if they had deep fried it I would have enjoyed it more. Our server was very alert when someone's bottomless mimosa was low and made sure to keep the drinks coming. (I didn't participate in bottomless mimosas but thought it was worth giving her brownie points) I took photos of everyone's food because when I was trying to search the photos for reference of these dishes I couldn't find any so you are welcome to those who appreciate my efforts!

Great atmosphere. Great service. Tenderloin came rare when ordered medium rare and then came back medium+. The cheesy potatoes with the tenderloin were amazing. Scallops were great and cooked PERFECTLY! Overall a great choice!

Another great experience at this restaurant. Service was spot on. My wife had the salmon with the whipped potatoes. I had the double pork chop, which was extra savory also along with the potatoes. An A+ plus experience and such a great setting. Esteban was wonderful, informative, friendly, and professional. Kudos to him!!

Russell's did you deliver the most amazing, mouth watering brunch I've been to so far?- yes. Our server I believe his name was Brandon was so nice. We also had a young Lady who was a bartender helping out as well. I told the server my food allergies; however both of the club sandwiches have bread it that has egg and dairy. So he actually recommended me the vegetarian cob but instead of tofu I did steak. This Hass to be one of the best brunch steaks I've ever had. It was pink but it wasn't bloody - it was very moist and absolutely yummy. The avocado in the salad it was not to avocado he and not overripe. The lettuce in the salad was crisp and refreshing and the quinoa was cooked perfectly. To drink I had the lavender lemonade. Which was Empress Jen, lemonade, fresh rosemary and lavender simple syrup. The drink was light and refreshing; and the perfect drinks to have on Mother's Day! The whole restaurant was trendy and coastal - and it had a really cool vibe. Parking is complementary for brunch; I'm not sure if it's complementary for dinner as well. I will definitely return here for brunch. I am giving this yelp review a 10 out of 10 the service was amazing and the food was extra spectacular.

I think I died and went to heaven with this dinner menu!! The seafood options here are a 9/10 easily! I've been here one other time for their brunch, and I really enjoyed my time! The service was great and the food was delicious. This second time around having dinner was PHENOMENAL. We got here a little after opening so it was nice and quiet :) To drink we ordered the pineapple old fashioned & pineapple mai tai. Both were excellent beverages but I definitely favored the mai tai! For our entree's we had the Grilled Marinated Mahi Mahi and the Blackened Wild Salmon. Both were absolutely out of this world, melt in your mouth goodness! For the salmon they recommend medium but I would say do what we did and ask for it medium rare. You'll thank me for that one! This restaurant is another treasure of the Ivanhoe area and I definitely see myself coming back here on a monthly if not weekly. Keep up the amazing work to the entire team here

We decided to walk to this restaurant for brunch while visiting our daughter. It was just before noon and it wasn't crowded. The waiter was a pleasant young man. The bloody Mary was perhaps one of the best I've had. That's pretty much where the compliments stop. We ordered a crocque madame sandwich and a cinnamon roll waffle. We waited nearly an hour for these two simple items. This includes the promise that our food would be "coming out shortly" about 2/3 of the way through. I was prepared that the cinnamon roll waffle might be overly simple, but what came out was at room temperature at best. It could very likely have been a convenience store purchase. The manager then comped my Bloody Mary and struggled to get out an apology that really sounded as if she was either blaming the food or my expectations. I can assure you that the latter is a really low bar. I would have been more impressed if she would have taken responsibility and said "we screwed up" rather than making me feel like it's somehow my fault. I have always eaten the order, even if disappointed, as long as it was edible and made with care. And that's the problem here. An Entemann's cinnamon roll unwrapped and thrown on a plate with a few berries isn't worth $15 nor does it say "we take pride in our culinary skill and offering". I didn't even eat a third of it. The sandwich was "ok". Very disappointed that I now need to go find another meal. I am really sorry to post this, as the waiter was a nice kid but a review like this would have given us better perspective.

I took my mom and sister here for brunch while they were in town for a visit. I had never been before, but always wanted to try this place. The staff were very personable and attentive; and the space was bright, clean and open, and the lake view was nice. I have to admit, I was very underwhelmed by the menu choices for the brunch. Honestly, nothing really appealed to me, and I understand that is a personal preference and not on the restaurant, but it made choosing a meal more challenging. There were no simple breakfast options. Everything seemed a little "extra". I finally settled on the Cinnamon Roll Waffle for $14 with homemade sausage, berries, cinnamon sugar glaze and cream cheese glaze. I also ordered a side of hashbrowns for $5. I'm not sure why it's called a waffle, it was just two small cinnamon rolls, and the 1 small sausage patty I personally didn't care for. My mother tried it and didn't care for it either. The hashbrowns were two small, scoop size portions of hashbrowns. After I added some salt to add flavor, they were ok. My mom & sister ordered the Crab & Avocado Toast with a small side salad for $26. This was a single slice of toasted brioche topped with egg salad, avocado and lump crab meat. They enjoy the breakfast but agreed that it definitely wasn't worth $26. I'm not sure if I want to go back to try them for dinner. I definitely won't return for brunch again. The atmosphere and experience don't make up for the price of the food compared to the portion size.

Came here for a quick dinner before a concert. This place is definitely upscale and looks very clean on the inside. Our waitress although she lost her voice was great and came by our table a perfect amount of times. I had the pepper crusted beef tenderloin which was delicious with the gravy that came with and potatoes. I would definitely come back here. I would say the prices while not too high were slightly on the high side. I also tried the crème brûlée and it was amazing, better than most crème brûlées I've had.

A beautiful restaurant inside and outside. Great scenery situated on the lake. Nice and upscale, but not so stuffy you feel uncomfortable. Complimentary valet is a bonus since parking is tight. Great bar to sit at for drinks, a meal, or waiting for your table. Food was top notch and the table side Caesar salad is one of the best we've ever had. We love this place and we'll be back for sure.

If I could give this place a 3.5 I would. A friend brought me here for my bday dinner because it was supposed to be an upscale restaurant. I definitely felt overdressed because there were people in shorts and a T-shirt... I'll give you the pros and cons...service was great, drinks were good and the view on the lake is pretty. Cons...the food was bland and I felt they could have better menu options. I probably would not return, there's just way too many other great restaurant options in the area.

Brunch was wonderful! I loved the Naked Burger and my boyfriend enjoyed a virgin Bloody Mary and Mrs. Croc - sooo delicious! We had the cinnamon roll French toast to go to take to my kids...but somehow just having one bite each, left us with a sliver to take home for my kids to enjoy It was a memorable brunch and I'm so glad we went!

I chose Russell's for a small celebration dinner with my family after a courthouse wedding. Zoe was so accommodating and easy to plan with even over distance. Once we actually got there, the food was amazing, the service was great and the ambiance was exactly what we needed for an intimate family gathering. They were incredibly understanding of our party's allergies and restrictions and I cannot recommend them enough :)

Me and some friends met here for our monthly girls night. We sat at the bar at 6:28 and wanted to order some drinks. I asked about happy hour (as I am aware that it is from 4:30-6:30) and the bartender said it ends at 6:30 and we missed it. It was 6:29. I understand it was the very end of happy hour, but we asked him to accommodate our request for 2 martinis. Reluctantly, he did. We moved to our table and ordered drinks and appetizers. I had the Caesar salad, my friend had the pork belly sangria, and my other friend had the tuna tartare. Everything was good, but my friends tuna had bites that were chewy and she had to spit them out. We all enjoyed the salmon for dinner, it was absolutely delicious. I will be back just for the salmon.

Great spot! Awesome location right on the water. Went for an early sunday brunch and was able to get seated right away. Service was good and food was tasty too! A little on the pricer side

We have visited Russell's regularly and normally find the service exceptionally good. Today my husband and I went to brunch I made the unfortunate mistake of ordering the cinnamon waffle it was so soggy and covered in brown sugar and icing it was way too sweet. I asked the manager to exchange it for the lobster roll and was told I would have to pay full price for the waffle but I could order the lobster rolls in addition to the waffle. I had taken two bites. The waffle was18 and I wanted to order the 30 dollar lobster roll I was amazed they would not allow me to upgrade. We also ordered the shrimp cocktail which the menu says 7 pieces of shrimp we received 6 I made no mention of this to the staff it just added yo our dissatisfaction. We spent 120.00 on brunch and left hungry and unhappy. Russell's you can and should do better.

Popped in for dinner and wasn't as good as the last visit. Changing from four to three stars. First course was the bread and it really was amazing. Just the right amount of salt. Warm and scrumptious. Next we had the Tuna and Avocado Tartare. We've had this before and it was fantastic. This time, it wasn't dressed at all. Very plain. The only flavor came from the crisp it was served with. We tasted no soy and no ginger. When we told the server she mentioned another table said the same thing. We ate it because we were hungry but because we ate it, they offered to only take half off. I don't need free, but fix and go one better. Don't suggest we ate it so it must have been ok. Expecting fine dining service it not receiving it. Chicken Kiev was phenomenal and burger was good. Nice meal but disappointed in how my app was handled.

This place is a must if you haven't tried. Great service, flavorful food that is simply prepared (unlike many central FL restaurants that don't know when to stop adding) and beautiful setting. I wish they had kept the outside seating outside would be my only diss.

Great spot for brunch! My friend and I decided to check it out for brunch and funny enough it wasn't busy. We opted to sit at the bar and Dominic took great care of us. He made us tasty bloody Marys and recommended a few of his fav dishes. Let me just say the short rib waffle was delicious. The ribs were so tender they melted in your mouth and the waffle was cheesy. I chose a side salad instead of fries because I was determined to finish my dish and still wasn't able to. The Bloody Mary was yummy it wasn't spicy and he told us he adds his special ingredient.. let me just say I usually avoid bloody Marys cause they are too spicy for me but his was OMGOSH delish. I also tried the Gin old fashioned and it basically tasted like bourbon. This place is wonderful with an amazing view and can't wait to go back for dinner!

I had really high expectations for this restaurant and while there were a few set backs, I know this place can do better! We arrived around 11:30am to meet some friends for brunch on a Sunday. The parking lot was packed so we had to valet, which was nice, we just didn't know it was offered until we arrived so our cash was limited. We had a reservation but there were plenty of open seats at arrival time and throughout our stay. Two of our friends had gotten there early and already had drinks. They said it had been at least 15 min before the server had came by. It was another 10-15 min before someone came by once we had sat (making it 20-30 minutes total). This was a bit disappointing because they were not that busy and we weren't even acknowledged. Server was super nice, but she passed us several times with no acknowledgment or anything. We finally got to order drinks and an appetizer, which also took quite some time. As for the drinks - can't go wrong with bottomless mimosas. They have several juice options and actually give you a larger glass which I prefer than having to ask for another 10 times with a flute! But the charcuterie board was terrible. All of the meat looked a little off, and I confirmed something wasn't right when I tried bites of them and immediately spat it out. We all were kinda grossed out so we asked the server to take it off if the table and she even admitted that it looked a little grey. While I'm happy she acknowledged that and they even took it off of our bill, you shouldn't even serve something that looks like that (or smells like that). I'd assume the chefs at this location would be trained enough to know that. Even more time passes and we finally order our food. I got the turkey club (no egg) with a salad. Overall, we were all happy with our entrees, so it made up for everything else. The server continued trying her best but definitely seemed overwhelmed but nonetheless, remained positive and super friendly. I'm hoping we were just there on an odd day, as I'd love to go back for another try.

Excellent location with promising menu, but lacking in delivery. I visited for brunch and ordered the lakeside breakfast and the burger. The lakeside breakfast was very small; it came with 3 grape tomatoes that were about the same size as the hashbrown serving and only came with half a slice of avocado toast. Which based on the color, wasnt fresh. The plate, in general, was lacking in flavor. The burger was delicious, the fries were cooked perfectly, and the sauce was amazing... but, it was very salty. I'm ok with salty bites here and there, but this was too much and spoiled the good entre. If there was any positives, the service was great, the location and ambiance were excellent, and the bacon was delicious. However, for the price of the food, the portions, and flavor, the positives don't make it justifiable

Looks like I forgot to review after my first visit. Came here the first time back in January for my birthday. The evening was exquisite and the food was spectacular. I took a few photos and will try to find them on the "roll." This is an excellent location that has been home to several very good restaurants. I hope this one sticks around. The location is great. The view of the Lake is soothing, particularly in the evening. The executive chef, Josue, brought over a special appetizer in honor of my birthday celebration. I don't recall what it was, but I do recall that it was something I would never have selected myself. It was delicious and set the tone for a magical evening. Today I came for the Royale with Cheese. It is the best burger and the best fries I have ever purchased in a restaurant. The name is an homage to what the Quarter Pounder with cheese is called in France. A bit pricey and worth every penny.

Great food, perfect location on the water, the staff is courteous, professional and attentive. They have live music and complimentary valet. We ordered the House Pineapple Old Fashion and the Peach Mimosa, both were so delicious. We ate the Lobster Rolls with fries, Naked Burger with fries, Breakfast Club Sandwich with fries and the Crab & Avocado Toast with a side salad as our entres. The food was tasty, very delicious. For dessert we tried their NY cheesecake and their house White Chocolate Bread Pudding with Russell's Whiskey Sauce. That Russell's sauce was amazing, we couldn't get enough of it. I will definitely be coming back to try more of their delicious entrees and to enjoy the views and atmosphere. The restaurant is located next to a park where you can walk around and there is even a playground where the kids can have fun.

A group of us went to Russell's for brunch to celebrate a friends birthday. It was right before Halloween so they asked us to vote for our favorite pumpkin and the staff were all dressed up in costumes. Our server was very friendly and attentive, she was dressed up as a bug, I didn't get her name though. Their brunch menu was great, I had a hard time deciding what to get because so many dishes sounded wonderful. Aside from food they also do unlimited mimosas and sangria for $19. You are able to switch between the two, I enjoyed both the mimosa and sangria! For my entree I decided on the naked burger and it was SO good! Everyone enjoyed their food, even our friend that is notorious for never liking anything. We also had a vegetarian with us (she eats eggs) that had many items to choose from on the menu. Usually she's pretty limited to which dishes she can actually get but that wasn't an issue this time! I'm very happy we ended up at Russell's, I thought it was a super swanky place that was out of my budget but I'm very happy I found out that it's not. The food and service were great and the prices were very fair! Definitely a spot I will be keeping in mind for the future!

Wonderful. Was there on a Monday night so it was quiet. I sat at the bar, Allison was my server. She was great! Gave excellent recommendations. I started with the grilled octopus then the peppercorn crusted beef tenderloin. Talk about melt in the mouth! the chef came out to check and I was so happy, food melting in my mouth, I could barely speak. So happy I have it a try! I need go go back with more people so I can try more choice

Stopped by for Sunday Brunch and had a great experience from the second we walked through the door. The lady at the front seated us right by the window which had a fantastic view. Our server was quick and attentive. We did bottomless and he frequently checked on us to see if we needed refills. I very much enjoyed the Breakfast Club and Fries. My only recommendation would be to expand their brunch/breakfast menu, but I would definitely return for the same thing I ordered.

Pleasantly enjoyed our experience here. I got a cucumber cocktail that was weak but really refreshing. The bread pudding dessert was delicious and the bread wasn't hard (something that I've experienced with other restaurants bread pudding). My husband enjoyed his steak but thought it was a little over cooked and my pasta was good but could've used a little more seasoning. The hostess were very kind. We came with a reservation and good thing because the night we came it was packed.

Came in for a Sunday brunch, forgot to post the first time, it was great. This time is no different, we started off with a couple of great cocktails. A gin martini of some sorts, I don't drink gin, but Im told it was great. I had the pineapple pinacilline (sp) very good scotch drink. I had the basic breakfast with eggs bacon ham and avocado toast. Everything was great. Bacon, was delicious, ham, well, I could put down way more of that. Eggs were great. The lobster rolls, I'll be honest, I've been burnt before. Holy moly, they were amazing. My wife gave me a bite, the first thing I said was, I want to go to the beach. Very good. Might get that next time. Staff was extremely friendly and helpful. There was live music, and she was great, perfect for a nice Sunday morning on the lake. I believe the owner checked on us a couple of times and couldn't be more helpful or friendly. Really made us feel at home. Overall, it was a great experience, the only sad thing is we decided to make this our Valentine's Day dinner, but of course it's all booked up. Oh well, we will go for birthday, anniversary or something. BTW, our first time, we had dinner, and it was amazing, sorry I forgot that post. Go check it out!