8 Broward Restaurant Classics to Revisit During Dine Out

Restaurant month is not only about what is new

A directory with 179 verified restaurants naturally encourages discovery, but Dine Out Lauderdale also creates a reason to return to places that helped define Broward dining. Some are true institutions, while others earned staying power through a distinctive room, chef or neighborhood identity. The event continues through September 30 with three-course menus at $35 for lunch, $45 or $60 for dinner and $75 for Lux experiences.

For dates, participating restaurants and program details, visit the official Dine Out Lauderdale page.

These eight restaurants span Dania Beach, Oakland Park, Fort Lauderdale, Pompano Beach and Coral Springs. Their event menus and participating days can change, so verify the current offer even when the restaurant itself feels familiar.

Two unmistakable Broward experiences

Jaxson's Ice Cream Parlor & Restaurant has served Dania Beach for 70 years. Its red-and-white room, candy shop and extravagant ice-cream identity make it far more than a burger stop. The official $35 lunch highlights a half-pound burger or mile-long hot dog with a side and a scoop, sundae or cone. It is an accessible way to introduce a new generation to the landmark.

Mai-Kai Restaurant in Oakland Park occupies a completely different world. The Polynesian dining and entertainment destination is one of Broward's most singular restaurant experiences, where architecture, tropical atmosphere and performance are inseparable from dinner. Review the event profile closely because the special menu and any show arrangements may operate under different timing or charges.

Fort Lauderdale rooms with a sense of place

Casablanca Cafe occupies a historic house across from Fort Lauderdale Beach. Visit Lauderdale confirms daily lunch and dinner during the event and highlights roasted eggplant with hummus, short-rib pappardelle and baklava with ice cream. An outdoor table makes the street and oceanfront activity part of the meal.

The House on the River looks toward the New River from another historic home. Its official weekend brunch example is served family style, loaded with choices such as fried chicken and waffles, breakfast croissants and short-rib sliders. It is the group-friendly classic in this collection.

OCEAN2000 at Pelican Grand Beach Resort combines modern coastal cooking with an Atlantic-facing veranda. Its official 2026 page confirms $35 lunch Monday through Thursday and $60 dinner Sunday through Thursday through September 30. Choose it for a familiar oceanfront format with unusually clear event scheduling.

Casa D'Angelo Ristorante has long represented polished Tuscan dining in Fort Lauderdale. Its Sunday-through-Thursday Lux menu includes official examples such as octopus carpaccio, layered pasta with Neapolitan ragù and ricotta-chocolate cannoli. It is the return visit for diners who value service, wine and a composed room.

Chef-driven favorites farther north and west

Cafe Maxx in Pompano Beach is a chef-led neighborhood destination with years of local recognition. Its Dine Out participation offers a reason to revisit a restaurant that helped establish ambitious dining north of Fort Lauderdale before the current wave of development around the beach and downtown.

The Cook and the Cork in Coral Springs fills a similar role in western Broward. The independent restaurant is built around chef-driven cooking and wine rather than a resort or entertainment complex. It makes a useful counterpoint to the coastal classics and shows how far the event reaches into residential communities.

Plan one return and one first visit

A strong use of this list is to choose one restaurant connected to your own Broward memories and one you know only by reputation. Pair Jaxson's with Mai-Kai for two forms of theatrical nostalgia, Casablanca with House on the River for historic Fort Lauderdale settings, or OCEAN2000 with Casa D'Angelo for two polished but very different dinners. Cafe Maxx and The Cook and the Cork reward diners willing to look beyond the central tourism corridor.

Confirm the current menu, price, reservation policy and service days before leaving. Ask for the Dine Out menu at the table, account for tax, gratuity and beverages, and resist treating an old favorite as predictable. A limited-time menu can reveal a different side of a restaurant you thought you already knew.