Between the Dr. Phillips Center for Performing Arts, a handful of new restaurants and Project DTO, Downtown Orlando is undergoing a major (and much needed) transformation. Soco Restaurant in Thornton is the newest player to join the downtown revitalization featuring southern contemporary cuisine under Executive Chef Greg Richie. Soco recently added brunch, so naturally I had to try for myself! After my experience last Sunday, I officially have a new go-to brunch spot. Here's my top 10 reasons why Soco is worthy of your precious brunch time. Reservations. Imagine that, a brunch place that ACTUALLY reserves tables for parties. Live in this town long enough and you know to avoid Briarpatch and Keke's on the weekends. Sorry Winter Park, I'm avoiding your Sunday madness. $5 mimosas with real OJ and champagne. None of that gross orange syrup or Andre in your glass. Expansive outdoor patio space, hello cooler weather. Too hot? No worries, there's plenty of room inside. Jalapeño Jelly drizzled over Slow-Roasted Barbecue-Glazed Pork Belly Biscuits. Buttermilk melt-in-your mouth biscuits covered in juicy pork. The perfect dish when you can't decide on "lunch" or "breakfast" food for brunch. $20 mimosa pitchers. See point number two. Good for groups large and small. Brunching with your friends or enjoying a meal with your significant other? Soco's got you covered, no awkward or cramped seating arrangements here. With 11 main dishes to choose from, you're bound to have trouble deciding what to order. Next time we're going for the Korean-Style Fried Chicken. What's Korean style you ask? We haven't got a clue either, but we'll be sure to give a full tasting report when we order the dish! If you insist on eating healthy, try their mason jar of house-made granola and yogurt with local honey, dried cranberries, fresh fruit and pumpkin seeds. Still hungry? It's okay, you can order their two egg side. The indulgence season is officially here, so go ahead and order that Baked Apple-Stuffed Brioche French Toast with house marmalade, candied peanuts and whiskey syrup. Your New Year's resolution is months away anyways. Baked Cheddar Grits. 'Nuff said.
(4)
Lindsey T.
I've heard and read mixed reviews about Soco since it opened and it was time to check it out for myself. Friendly staff greeted us and our reservations got us sat right away although the inside and patio were pretty empty. We both ordered a drink, mine an overpriced $12 cocktail that was just ok and too pricey for the taste and size. It was disappointing to see no draft beers available. Why on earth not? Due to the price of the entrees we skipped appetizers and went straight for main courses. I ordered the pork chop and my husband got the Cobia. Our meals came quickly from the kitchen which you could see into from the dining room which was nice. The first cut off my pork chop looked very pink but since the lighting was so dim I kept trying to examine it better by candlelight. It was in fact pink so I went deeper into the chop where things seemed to have been cooked a bit more thoroughly. The bites that weren't pink weren't bad, it just wasn't amazing, and for a splurge of $27 I want better than not bad. Brio's pork chops have much more flavor. My husband liked his fish dish but had the same feeling of "it's ok but not worth the price". I had seen some amazing looking desserts from my foodie friends on Instagram so I had to try the Chocolate Cake with potato chips, peanut brittle and salted caramel. This treat was amazing and worth every penny. Due to pricing this normally would be a special occasion restaurant for me, but due to quality i probably wouldn't want to splurge here. There are better places in Orlando to drop $100 at not walk away feeling "meh". I will let the fancy pants downtown people have this one and take my money elsewhere. This will strictly be a dessert destination for me in the future.
(3)
Nick P.
Soco located on the corner of central blvd and summerlin Ave down town Orlando, offers an elegant yet casual dining experience that leaves you wanting more. I've tried six different dishes from their menu not including appetizers and it's all satisfying. I've yet to try the dessert menu; frankly I'm not one that has a sweet tooth. Delicious! Support your local establishments.
Tried SoCo for the first time Friday night. Our waiter was great and knowledgable about menu items. I tried the special which was scallops and okra on top of parmesan cheese grits. It was very good. I would go back more frequently but the prices are steep. We were there during Happy Hour but drink specials only apply if you are seated at the bar. Overall $29 for my meal, $11 appetizer, $18 for two small glasses of Reisling plus tip. Still undecided if the prices are worth a return visit.
(3)
Lauren H.
5 stars for ambiance, 4 stars for food, and 5 for the outstanding service. My boyfriend and I went on a Friday night and surprisingly it wasn't too busy. We sat outside and their heaters kept us pretty comfortable, as it was cold as balls. I was a fan of their music selection. Mumford and Sons, Pearl Jam, Creedence Clearwater. If you're not into that, don't worry, it's not loud at all. It took ten minutes for a server to even notice our presence, but once he did, the first round of drinks were on the house, and we were pampered for the rest of the evening. We ordered a bunch of small plates. Some were amazing such as the duck confit and boiled peanuts, the pork belly biscuits, and the mac and cheese, but unfortunately, even though the flavors were great, the chicharrones with my fried oysters were stale, and the shrimp and grits ravioli was a bit rubbery. The portions are very small and even though the bourbon banana pudding was outstanding, it really needs to come with more waffles. I will definitely be back, especially to check out happy hour and brunch.
(5)
Rashmi P.
Being a staunch advocate of Eat Local - Be Local - I couldn't be more pleased about the opening of the new Southern restaurant Soco by the culinary brilliant - Executive Chef Greg Richie. Renowned as the man who fronted Orlando restaurants for celebrity chefs Emeril Lagasse and Roy Yamaguchi, graduate of the acclaimed Johnson and Wales University in Charleston, Executive Chef/Partner Greg Richie returns to his Southern roots with a contemporary interpretation of one of America's classic cuisines at Soco Thornton Park. From seriously sinful Slow-Roasted Barbecue-Glazed Pork Belly Biscuits to Potato Chip Crusted Chocolate Cake, Chef Richie has transformed downtown Orlando as one of the hottest spots in Central Florida. Armed with an extensive selection of "By The Bottle" beers catches the eye alongside a list of handcrafted cocktails, also designed by Chef Richie, including Honey Rye Sour, White Julep and Grown-Up Cherry Cola. One can't help but admire Chef Richie's attention to detail and focus on making Soco an all-encompassing delightful dining experience. Did I mention the Bar Plates? Crispy Macaroni Croquettes with heirloom tomato sauce; House-Blend Angus Beef Burger, aged white cheddar, red onion-bacon marmalade, house-made smoked ketchup and pickles on a brioche bun served with crispy onion rings and Meatloaf-Stuffed Bell Pepper Poppers with pimento mornay. Like me if you enjoy variety, the 'Small Plates' section has some scrumptious treats for you. The star of the evening incontestably were the Soco-Style "Chicken and Dumplings", carved chicken breast, lobster dumpling, local mushrooms, edamame and soy butter. Melting in your mouth, perfectly cooked dumpling sitting in a bed of silky butter sauce - this dish is beyond perfection!! We also got to sample Hand-Made Canaveral "Shrimp and Grits" Ravioli, Crab-Stuffed Deviled Duck Eggs, and Cassoulet of Duck Confit and Boiled Peanuts. Chef Richie demonstrates his culinary talents exquisitely with the "Main" and "Feature" dishes - Lake Meadow Naturals Korean-Style Fried Chicken, pickled radishes, sweet and spicy dipping sauce; Grilled Meatloaf on Lobster Mashed Potatoes, three-meat blend, crispy onion rings, smoked vidalia and andouille sausage gravy; Chicken Fried New York Strip with Garlic Mashed Potatoes, white truffle pepper gravy. A dish exclusively catered for Vegetarians - Chicken-Fried" Cauliflower Steak, asparagus, artichoke, garlic mashed potatoes and vine ripe tomato gravy - AMA-zing! Seafood lovers are in for a treat - Hot Smoked Florida Cobia with butter milk potato cake, black eyed tomato salsa, Pecan Crusted Carolina Fluke with Carolina gold rice, Canaveral shrimp hush puppies, and Cast Iron Seared Artic Char with red mule grits, swiss chards, oyster mushrooms, smoked ham broth. Are you drooling yet? The taste of the South reigns with home-style dessert offerings of Bourbon Banana Pudding, vanilla wafer waffle, caramelized banana; House-Made "Moon Pie", RC® Cola vanilla float; and Warm Apple and Oatmeal Spice Cake, coconut, pink peppercorn whiskey syrup, and Bourbon Banana Pudding with vanilla wafer waffle, caramelized banana, toasted meringue. Foodies who relish the savory-sweet play in desserts can savor each bite of the Potato Chip Crusted Chocolate Cake. The hip ambiance, beautiful people suavely dressed, sunny patio, ideal location, and deliciously decadent food earns Soco as THE 'Hot Spot'. Drop in for brunch after a refreshing stroll around the Park or make reservations for a romantic night out. Whether it is a celebration or "just because" - there are plenty of reasons for Soco to adorn your MUST-dining list and earn the accolades of being your TO-GO neighborhood hangout.
(4)
Matt Z.
Overall excellent meal, not the best value but I guess you pay for what you get. Started out with gin and juice and wife had some watermelon infused drink. Both were good but I wouldn't order again given the price. We then had the truffle infused steak tartar with quail egg which was good, not excellent and really no hint of truffle either of us could taste. On to the fried green tomato salad which was excellent and best value of the night. On to entrees. My wife had surf and turf special which was a waygu rib eye with diver scallops. The 3 small scallops were good. The rib eye was ordered med rare and came out med to med well. They happily took the plate back and brought out a piece of steak on a bare plate which was cooked right. Problem is all the sides on the other plate were thrown out and theu brought the steak with nothing else on the plate. Very poor in my opinion for a $36 dish. I got the pecan crusted fluke which was in the top 3 pieces of fish I have ever eaten. Delicious. I would go back just to get this fish again. It was over a Carolina rice and amazing lemon sauce. The server was top notch and besides what I consider a kitchen snafu with the steak, the service was great. I was a little surprised that we didn't get offer desert (we were both stuffed so probably wouldn't have gotten anyway, but was curious what they had). Add 2 glasses of wine and the bill with tip was well over$150. Would go back for a special occasion.
(4)
Frances F.
it's the "New Hue"! I don't think I'll ever call it anything else. I loved my dinner. I had the chicken fried New York strip steak. I'm not familiar with Southern food all too much but I was expecting like a breaded steak. I received a regular steak that was delicious. Maybe there was some light breading that I missed? It was dark. My plate came with these balsamic coated brussels sprouts that were so good I went out and purchased my own to replicate at home the next day. Mine weren't as good :-/ For $12 my drink was perfect. I only needed one. I recommend the Honey Rye Sour. Loved it. I sat outside on a cold night and was convinced by the servers to order the warm apple and oatmeal spice cake. There was whiskey or something on the plate. I recommend everyone order this desert now that the winter's here for a few weeks. The servers were somewhat annoying. I had one woman there in training and a regular server. Every 4 minutes either one of them would come up and ask how we were doing and how we liked things. I was trying to dominate a conversation so I felt it was annoying. Hopefully they straightened that out.
(4)
Charlotte M.
When first veiwing the menu, I had no clue what anything was on it , nor did my friend. She ask many questions of the server and he happily explained everything to us, in which it sounded good, so we ordered. It was better than good. It was great! Each course served was amazing, and as I finished one, I could not wait to get the next one. I never ever take home left overs....never! I did this night. It was to good to let one bight go to waste! The service was amazing as well, and I reccomend this establishment to anyone who is looking for amazing food, impeccable service, and a wonderful atmosphere!
(5)
Kevin C.
The food is really good here albeit a little pricey. I came here for brunch one Sunday morning, and I didn't have a problem getting a seat. The place is pretty haughty with the host and presumed manager in a suit and I felt pretty classless in my shorts and soccer jersey. This is definitely one of the more expensive brunch places, but the food was great. I got the cheapest thing on the menu which was pork belly and biscuits and gravy for $11. The pork belly was really tender the biscuits were deliciously fattening. My girlfriend got the johnny cakes with crab meat, which also was quite good. The servers were very friendly and were happy to accomadate our requests to sit outside and had us moved when we complained about the sun. I'd come back but will just remember to bring a thick wallet.
(4)
Jo A.
So disappointing. We were hoping for something comparable to K given the descriptions and price point. The shrimp and grits ravioli was under cooked, not al dente, with hard edges and chewy center. The manager did take it off the bill. He also said he appreciated the honesty. My cobia was fine the first few bites but as I made my way was a bit hardened about the exterior as if it had been plated for awhile. The center was slightly over cooked. The green beans were average but black eyed peas with potato cake fine. My husband's fried green tomato salad was fine. On the positive side the alcoholic beverage selection was good, as was the service.
(3)
Jessica V.
Well, I hate to say it, but I wasn't all that impressed with brunch at Soco. Sure they have $10 AYCD mimosas, which is a steal, but I felt like the food fell short. We ordered the pork belly biscuits to start, followed by lobster benedict (Cumberbatch, throw him on an English muffin and I will be satisfied for DAYS... TMI? I digress..), and the duck confit potato cakes. The pork belly biscuits were yummy, no complaints there (except for the Yelp photos tricking me into thinking they were bigger than they actually are, but that's on you sneaky Yelpers, not Soco). Now, the two entrees sound excitingly delicious, right? But unfortunately, they were just OK. Sure the hollandaise was rich and creamy, but hollandaise is meant to be rich and creamy. Besides that, it was normal eggs benedict with a few baby chunks of lobster strewn about. The duck confit potato cakes were very well prepared, beautifully crisp on the outside and warm on the inside, topped with poached eggs, arugula, and a red sauce. The red sauce on top and the arugula, unfortunately, masked any taste from the cakes and even when eaten alone, the potato cakes lacked in flavor. I still look forward to trying Soco for dinner sometime, but might not be inclined to make it there for brunch.
(3)
Shane H.
I really wanted to love this place since it is right in the heart of my neighborhood. However my first visit was underwhelming at best. I ordered the Carolina Fluke while my dinner partner ordered the Korean Style Fried Chicken. One mean was good the other was very disappointing. Service at SOCO is decent and the staff is very professional even if they did disappear once they could hear/tell how disappointed we were with one of the meals. The facility is nice and very cozy and the outdoor patio is great. So the food. The Carolina Fluke was perfectly cooked and full of flavor. The rice accompaniment was outstanding and the sauce was top notch. The okra was a bit underdone and not appetizing at all. Over all this dish was a solid 4. The Korean Style Fried Chicken was the embodiment of overpriced disappointment. The plate is nothing more than chicken on a plate. There was some kind of vegetable with it but it was raw and inedible. The chicken itself was overdone and lacked flavor of any kind. There was supposed to be some sort of "sauce" that made it "Korean" but there was nothing more than a stain on the plate. The chicken being overdone might be excusable at IHOP but not in a "Chef-centric" restaurant. How did it leave the kitchen in such a dry desiccated state? The Korean chicken was over a big disappointment and deserved only a single star. Overall the food is incredibly overpriced considering the portions and unpredictable quality. This is a great "try it one time" type of place but you would not want to make this your regular night out. I think this place could do well but they really need to pay more attention to the food before it leaves the kitchen. Overdone chicken and a lack of sauce are inexcusable at these prices.
(3)
Katherine N.
SoCo stands for Southern Contemporary. It is a new restaurant in Thornton Park that has been opened since September 24, 2014 and is home to Executive Chef Greg Richie. Working with Executive Chef Greg Richie is an amazingly sweet and upbeat staff. If you fancy a talk during your visit, ask for Felicia who is full of smiles and sweetness ready to make suggestions for your meal! Felicia loves the menu at SoCo and isn't afraid to speak her mind of favorites. Crab-Stuffed Deviled Duck Eggs contains crisp bacon, lemon and truffle. It was a delightfully creamy and fresh appetizer. The Slow-Roasted Barbecue-Glazed Pork Belly Biscuits was served with Jalapeño jelly and chow-chow. The flavors were delicious but the Barbeque glaze could be minimized as it created an overpowering of sweetness at the end. The slow-roasted pork seemed to be a little rushed/cooked too long as it was a little dry and tough. The biscuit itself was thick, crunchy and honey sweet. Soco-Style "Chicken and Dumplings" are lobster dumplings topped with carved chicken breast, local mushrooms, edamame, and soy butter. When the dumpling is split in two, half was eaten with the mushroom and the other half without. The dumpling was sweet and had a cream cheese texture without the mushroom, as the mushroom would add an overpowering saltiness that covers up other tastes of the dumplings. My advice is to cut the mushroom into smaller pieces and distribute it throughout each bite of chicken and dumplings. The Cornmeal Crisped Oysters were served on pieces of chicharrones (pork grinds) with pickled green tomato relish and herb cream. The oyster melts in your mouth once you get past its crispy fried cornmeal covering and leaves an ocean aftertaste. SoCo is also known for their wines and whiskey cocktails, such as the Manhattan-ish and White Julep. Last, but not least, is the dessert we had to try before parting ways with SoCo. House-Made "Moon Pie" is a pie version on moon-pies served with a really sweet RC® Cola Vanilla Ice Cream Float. It contains rich dark chocolate ganache and a thick marshmallow whipped topping. The crust falls apart into a sandy texture in your mouth and provides a lovely vanilla taste. With or without the RC® Cola Vanilla Ice Cream Float sauce, it is quite delicious! For this visit, my favorite dishes were the Soco-Style "Chicken and Dumplings" and House-Made "Moon Pie". Although the food at SoCo was delicious during our visit, I do believe that it's not worth the prices that SoCo offers on their menu unless they plan on wowing us all with their other dishes. Although the food is delicious, improvements can be made here and there to make it worth the prices they are selling their dishes for on the menu.
(3)
John A.
Had to see how the 2015 favorite restaurant and chef was. Well it took over where Hue used to be. Ok we had a great experience here. The food was outstanding. I started off with a drink called the water cooler, it was nice and refreshing. For my app I had the slow roasted BBQ glazed pork belly biscuits, the flavor was so good. My sis got the grilled watermelon which she loved. Then I got the baby romaine lettuce with soft fried egg, the egg made the salad, it was like a Scottish egg, great flavor. My sis got the spinach salad which did have good flavor too but I preferred mine. Now onto the entrees, I got the country fried ny strip, the steak was cook right the batter tasted good and the gravy had great flavor. My sis got the chicken and dumplings and they was awesome and she got the diver scallop crudo, the scallops came out sliced thin and she loved it. For desert we shared the potato chip crusted chocolate cake, it had Carmel & broken up pieces of peanut brittle. The cake was outstanding, sweet and salty. The service was very good also attentive. This is deserve for both awards.
(5)
Rose A.
What a great new addition to the Thornton Park neighborhood!!! Felicia was our server. She was EXCELLENT! The food was outstanding. We had the chicken and dumpling appetizer which was rich, flavorful, and well balanced. The korean fried chicken was crispy and had a lot of flavor. The stand out dish was the meatloaf. Definitely going to order that again when in need for some comfort food!!! We didn't order dessert but our server kindly brought us a complimentary banana pudding which was great. Overall I was very impressed and will definitely be back!!!
(5)
Kris L.
Soco is definitely worth a try. The menu is all about "southern comfort" food with a twist. The night that I went, the "twist" was all about Asian influence. I'm not sure if that is always the case, though, because the menu likely changes. I had the cobia with a potato cake and black-eyed peas, it was really delicious! The wine selection was pretty nice as well. For dessert, I had a rich chocolate cake with a potato chip garnish. It sounds strange but it is probably the best dessert I have ever had. The best part about my Soco experience was the service, though. The staff went out of their way to make sure our group was taken care of and everyone was really friendly. To me, service and atmosphere are just as important as the food because my fiance and I like to cook at home. If you are not familiar with Orlando, Soco is also located in a great part of downtown for an after-dinner walk.
(4)
Ho L.
My first visit was during their very first Sunday Brunch. At 11:30am, I was expecting it to be jam-packed as most places usually are, but they weren't quite yet. We were seated quickly, and I noticed that there was plenty of seating inside and out. By the time we left around 12:45, things had picked up immensely, and there was now a wait. While I always appreciate high quality, locally sourced food, pricing sometimes becomes an issue. SoCo edges a little high, but not terribly so. It was $15 for a delicious burger, or about $20 for other entrees. The deal of the day is the $20 mimosa pitcher, which isn't light on the champagne, and uses real (fresh squeezed?) OJ with pulp. The decor is very nice, service is fast and friendly, and we left well-fed and watered for right around $30.
(4)
Tiffany F.
I came here because it had a pretty good rating. I was highly disappointed. I made reservations and was sat immediately, which I appreciated. I was debriefed about the menu and proceeded to order. This is were things started to decline. I ordered dumplings as soon as I got here and an additional pork belly appetizer later. I got the pork belly promptly but it took a while for the dumplings. When we finally got the dumplings they apologized for the wait and offered to comp it. Then I saw several other people that were seated after me got their food before I did. When I inquired on the ETA I was told they waited to put my order in after they delivered the appetizer. It took about 45 min to get my food. When I got it, it was cold. My experience was subpar. I don't think I would return based on my level of service.
(3)
Jenn Z.
Best martini I've had in a while; love the bar scene and bar snacks menu, and the bartender was terrific. Worth it just to go back and hang out at the bar all night. My husband has declared this place is his new favorite. We enjoyed the pork belly biscuits, the chicken & dumplings appetizer and the corn bisque. All incredibly delicious. His smoked cobia was phenomenal, my vegetarian dish, the cauliflower steak, was good, a little tough to cut and undercooked, could've been better. Loved the service, attention to detail. Our friends had the meat loaf, and gave it rave reviews. Looked pretty tasty. Can't wait to go back and try more, and enjoy some beautiful outdoor dining when things cool off in the fall.
(4)
Chris R.
This place is trying too hard. We made a reservation for a holiday party in December 2014, so they were still new, but it was all I needed to know that I don't need to go back. The food was average and the menu was reaching. It wants to be cool and creative, but just wasn't that good and not worth the price. The ambiance is good so go for a light meal and drinks, but don't expect much more than that.
(3)
Dominic B.
So the bar menu is pretty good. Particularly the burger with the onion marmalade which is a messy stuff in your face hole delight. Oh dear! My last visit was a few weeks ago and they still didn't have any happy hour drink specials and hope they do add some soon because this could be a regular after-work spot if so (perhaps they have - will try and make it over tomorrow to check). The grown up cherry coke is still incredibly delish but at $8 I can't really go as crazy with them as I want and still pay my mortgage. :) Also tried their brunch. It was fun, and very tasty. Missing element was the option for unlimited mimosas (seems to be all the rage these days). But the food was super solid and on point. Not inexpensive by any means, but you do get a great meal out of it. Still solid and still yummy - glad to see this place finding its way in this finicky 'hood!
(4)
Crystal R.
I definitely thought this place was an excellent spin on southern food. For an appetizer I got the fried oysters which were flavorful. For my main dish I had the meat loaf over lobster mashed potatoes which was simply amazing. Oh and For dessert the potato crusted chocolate chip cake was a unique delight. Of course this restaurant is located in the absolutely adorable Thornton Park.
(4)
Samuel P.
Atmosphere was great and decor was nice with a rustic feel! We really wanted to try their "Chicken and Dumplings" but they ran out of product... Our server (John D.) was attentive but disappeared for long periods, he forgot one of our guests Pinot Noir, could also pitch and suggest more items, we continued to ask what was a good suggestion. I ordered the "Truffle Infused Steak Skirt TarTare" it was raw meat topped with a Quail Egg. We sent it back due to it being bland and rather "tasteless". Replaced the small plate with their "Pork Belly Biscuits" which had a nice Jalapeño Jelly. Also ordered the side "Macaroni, Bacon + Three Cheese Cassoulet" one of our favorites, very flavorful! (John D) did a great job of clearing our plates, and suggested a great dessert. The "Potato Chip Crusted Chocolate Cake" was rich. Sweet + salty tasting notes which the Salted Caramel glaze added that extra touch. Overall, was an okay first experience, but the items seemed overpriced.
(2)
Sara P.
I am going to update my review as I was impressed the first time I went and gave a 4 star but this time I was really really impressed so it gets a 5! First off the servers and hosts are fantastic. We had a party of 7 and were seated right away and didn't have empty water glasses all night :) 5 stars for creativity because who on earth would have thought a cauliflower steak with a light "chicken fried" bread coating would be so good! I'm not vegan but as I stick by the motto "I'm on a diet" so this was a great lighter option. The outside breading was super light and it came with a small portion of mashed potatoes and asparagus. Totally delicious. I can't wait to go back. Such a nice ambience as well.
So...after hearing so much about the "celebrity" chef here and just how great of job he was doing in the old Hue location we just had to try it. We also overheard a group of people sitting next to us at dinner(at a different restaurant the night before) talking about how great it was...SOLD! Can't wait to try this amazing new place! First we walk in and everything seems cool. We ask to be seated outside since it was so nice outside. The first table they sat us was tilted way far too the point where I was sitting back looking up at Amanda across the table from me. Some parts of the outdoor seating area out front are extremely unleveled. No big deal. We asked our server to move and from the look on his face you would think I just told him to go F*** himself. He moves us and then takes our drink order. We decide to go with a couple "craft" cocktails. They were expensive as hell for the small amount you get but maybe that was better because they were so average it isn't funny. We ordered some dishes sliders, oysters, deviled eggs....oh my god those eggs...worst thing we have ever eaten anywhere. To start off they were 4 deviled eggs...that means 2 hardboiled eggs...for 12 dollars!! When we ordered them and they arrived we thought they looked good, and they had better for that price! They were appalling, with such a mixture that could only be executed by the most inexperienced chef or chefs. The yolk filling had the texture of glue, so over mixed and destroyed. When you put so much crap onto something so friggin simple you destroy rather than elevate the dish. Seriously we gagged at the taste of them. A word of advice, if you love deviled eggs like we do, go to The Rusty Spoon and get theirs as they are the best we have had and you get 6 for 6 dollars! The other plates were just okay. The sliders were pretty descent but dry and with the supposedly fancy little squiggly line of sauce that comes on the plate it fell way short of acceptable. I mean if you want to give such a small amount of sauce maybe try to not overcook the protein inside of the already dry buns. The oysters were the only really good thing that made sense. We would have had another expensive ass cocktail but our server had not been back since dropping off all the plates at once. Found out he was out back somewhere smoking cigarettes. When he finally returned we asked for our check because we were DONE! So for what amounted to one great plate and crappy to sub par everything else we around 70 dollars!!! You WILL NOT be seeing us there ever again. Ya know, sometimes when enough people tell you something is true, even though it is not, it kinda becomes the truth. In this case all the good things I have heard about this place was a big lie. Literally one of the worst dining experiences we have ever had anywhere. I only gave 2 stars because there was one perfect dish. Capitalize on those so called "foodies" and their lack of understanding of food all around...hopefully they will keep you in business.
(2)
Simon A.
First Visit To This Downtown Orlando Dining Establishment Got A New Leader In the Quest For Best French Toast In The OR Maybe Even On the Planet :) Very Nice Outing With Sunday Breakfast Crew & I Thoroughly Enjoyed Every Last Bit & Bite of Toast & Bacon On A Gorgeous Sunday Funday at Soco's. Plenty of Other Interesting & Unique Meal Options & Food Combinations To Satisfy Those Who Like Food Adventures
(4)
tiffany w.
I don't like to go to new restaurants until they have been open a few months. I was lured in by the menu and look of the place. I was a bit worried after reading several of the 1 star reviews, but i decided to give it a try. I took a foodie friend out for dinner. We made reservations and were sat at a nice table outside. The server was sweet, but I really hate it when I am seated and within 1 minute the server asked me what I want to drink. Give me a second to breathe. I was a bit thrown by the prices, so I tried to be strategic. I ordered a reasonably priced Pinot Noir and only 1 entree, The Meatloaf with lobster mashed potatoes. It took over 30 minutes to receive our food. The server kept coming back to apologize. When I finally received my food, the plate was hot, but the food was just warm. The meatloaf was good, not great. My friend ordered several small plates and our server kept coming by trying to take her food before she was done. I have worked in fine dining and I understand when to leave your customers alone. The ambiance is very nice. I was ready to go before dessert. I would come back and try it again, but I really think it is way overpriced.
(3)
Heidi S.
I ate here last night for the first time and was really impressed! First, the service is on point. Definitely fine dining level. The staff is friendly, accommodating and classy. I liked the wine list. I didn't have a cocktail, but they looked great. Would love to see another rum based drink on the list. I had the pickled pear salad and it was really good. My friend had the fried green tomato salad and it was awesome. I'd order that next time. The fluke entree was amazing!!! The fish is like and flakey and the whole dish was so flavorful. The crispy okra on top were perfect. Would definitely order this again. Clean plate club! The biscuits were huge! They were so fluffy and delicious. Do yourself a favor and forget about all the carbs and eat one...or two! I didn't have dessert, but I wanted to try them all. The potato chip crusted chocolate cake, the oatmeal spice cake and the banana pudding all sounded amazing. Next time!
(5)
Janice W.
Our waiter Bryan was amazing! He knew the history and menu like no other! Came with a group for dinner. We got the pork biscuit and the chicken & dumpling small plates; they were amazing! I'd recommend them. I got the Hot Smoked Florida Cobia, with Buttermilk Potato Cake and Black-Eyed Pea Tomato Salsa. It was awesome. The potato cake was great, but beware that if you leave the fish on top it will get soggy quickly. I had the sweet corn icecream for dessert and our waiter brought us all complimentary Prosecco and it paired perfectly! I'd highly recommend! Pricey when you want to try everything, but well worth it.
(5)
Sandino N.
2 words: decadent desserts. Those were the highlights of a dinner at Soco. Yes the ambiance was great as were dinner and drinks, but if you try anything it's gotta be dessert! After our Sales kickoff the Orlando locals took us here. Bit of a hassle accommodating 12 on the outside patio but the staff did its best (and we gave late notice in their defense). If you sit outside and it's cold be sure to have the fan turned off. Wine menu was solid with exquisite Pinot Noir selection. I also had a tequila cocktail while my buddy had one of those Manhattans with single large ice cube. He's so trendy and a bit metro, but apparently it doesn't crimp his game so kudos to you homie! Anyhow, we split 3 plates: Meatloaf on Lobster mashed potatoes, truffle flavored Flatiron steak and a seared fish of some kind. All pretty solid, tasty and reasonably priced. Not spectacular. But not horrible. Then lo and behold, our colleague rattles off 5 desserts for everyone to share! Crikey! I don't remember eating them all cuz I was stuffed. What stood out though: Nilla Wafers in Banana Meringue pudding. Took me back to my childhood. Scrumptious. Also the Apple cake tasted almost like a carrot cake, which I dig. And the brownie cheesecake was decadent, to use that adjective again. Top everything off with an Irish coffee and I'd say Soco's was a great intro to the local, trendy Winterpark eating scene! Give it a try too!
(4)
Rebecca H.
Ehhhhhh... I had heard some good things, and was excited about the prospect of a modern southern take right here in orlando. I gotta call it right now though, this did not live up to my previous experiences with this style cuisine in Atlanta, savannah, Dallas, or Nashville, etc. I got the pork belly biscuits with a side of grits and to drink the gin and juice. Overall: not worth the $$$. The drink was too expensive for what you got, give me a regular gin and tonic any day for 4 dollars less and I am much happier than I was with it. The biscuits were burnt, I mean noticeably burnt on my biscuit dish which was a bust, but I could see where it could be good if not overcooked (I liked the jalepeno jelly but the homemade bbq sauce wasn't my fave). The grits were covered with way too many crumbles. The crumbles had no flavor (I think they were supposed to be flavored) and just added a messy crumbly texture. Maybe if there were less it would've been better but to spend that much on bread crumbs on top of mediocre grits was frustrating. I wanna say I want try it again because I love haute southern cuisine but I don't know if I can for that price. All that being said my husband enjoyed his meat loaf over lobster mashed potatoes and the bite I had was better than my choices. Additionally we got the small plate of chicken and dumplings as our app and that was pretty good. Teeny tiny but delicious, and not your average chicken and dumplings.
(2)
Melissa d.
Reminded me of Highball and Harvest. However, not as great as H&H. The steak I ordered was a little too sweet. The cocktails were great, however and the sides/appetizers were also really delicious. I think this place is on par with restaurants like Prato, Cask and Larder, Ravenous Pig... I just wish that their chairs were a little bit more comfortable. They sat my husband and I at a weirdly small table, with no comfortable backs. I thought this was strange since I'm usually not bothered by stuff like that, but it was annoying in a restaurant of this caliber. My husband and I didn't want to linger here- we wanted to eat and go. Once, again weird... That's all I can say about that. Good food. Maybe I'll sit outside next time.
(3)
Catherine C.
Okay food but the kitchen and bar need work. We had to wait over an hour for our entrees. We also waited for a long time for any speciality drink but when they arrived they were good. The wine glasses smelled horrible like a wet dog our poor waiter had to go rinse out the glasses and wipe them down so the wine would taste right. Our friends who ordered the chicken fried NY steak were truly disappointed. Undercooked the first time and was sent back. When they came back they weren't even what was ordered. The "chicken fried" portion of the meal was gone?? Just a NY steak. Oh well - one was cooked fine and the other was still undercooked and cold inside so she just ate the potatoes. The restaurant did comp her meal and drinks but she left hungry.... The rest of us thought the food was good but not memorable. Beautiful and elegant interior, waiter was attentive, the manager tried to follow up several times but in the end we will not be back.
(2)
Rob S.
If you're looking for an upscale yet casual white collar scene in Thornton Park with more of a 30's plus feel, then check out SoCo. Very cozy bar area and great outside seating. Superb service from wait staff too!
(4)
Andrew K.
SoCo was a great place for brunch! It was a beautiful day in Orlando, so we opted to sit outside on the patio with a pitcher of Mimosas...and a pitcher of their lemonade cocktail. It was so nice to be able to sip cocktails on a sunny morning and watch all of the people of Thornton Park go by. For breakfast, I had the biscuits and gravy, and I added an egg to be put on top :-) It was delicious. I would definitely come back again for brunch. It is a little pricey...but the food, drinks, and atmosphere were definitely worth it!
(4)
Janett F.
Our party had all of the appetizers. You can't go wrong ordering any of them. Buttermilk biscuits, chicken fried cauliflower steak, Chicken fried New York Strip, Hanger Steak with molasses glaze, Korean style fried chicken - yumyum!!!!
(5)
Natalie W.
My boyfriend and I loved going to this location when it was Hue. We were sad when Hue closed but excited when we saw something new and interesting open up. It did not disappoint! Food was excellent, service terrific as well. Very attentive. Excellent cocktails as well. The patio is great, although slightly crowded especially compared to how it used to be. The surrounding area is great as well so that makes for a more pleasant patio experience as well. The host and wait staff was great. Definitely will be returning.
(5)
Jamie V.
I'm not one for home style cooking, but this place was AMAZING. From the cherry coke cocktail to the dumpling appetizer and meatloaf entree, this was place was delicious. I barely event got to eat my meatloaf because everyone's forks were in my plate! Our waiter was informative and helpful when other guests had questions. Definitely will be back!
(5)
Chris D.
This is my first review... But I am still thinking about the meal I had 5 nights ago, so I thought a review was warranted! We were quickly seated in the bar area (which is what we prefer!) we sat at a high-top with our fantastic server Rebeca. She was so amazing!!! Her recommendations were spot on, she let us taste wines and she had an amazing personality. All of the food was to.die.for. We were all over the place on the menu-we had the meatloaf (the potatoes!!!), the fried green tomato salad (awesome!), the chicken & dumplings (devine) and turnip soup (truffle oil!!) But then our server said our chef also does dessert and does not want people to leave disappointed.... She suggested the chocolate cake with potato chips, peanut brittle, and salted Carmel sauce. Omg! Heaven on a plate-I'm very particular about dessert but this was salty, sweet and decadent all at the same time. Needless to say, we will be back - I can't wait to taste their brunch. SoCo is a taste of the south with the contemporary feel of NYC. Please don't swarm this place, we want our seat back in the bar!!
(5)
Robin S.
This place was a major disappointment. My husband and I made a reservation on a Saturday night at 7:30 and were looking forward to trying a new place. We sat on the patio, which is very nice. The decor on the inside is also pretty great. They've done a nice job of remodeling and making it into a trendy scene. But that's all that I can say was great about it. The service was awful. It took 15-20 minutes to get two glasses of wine after ordering our first round and the same happened with our wine and beer for the second round. The food is good, but not great...especially when you consider the price they are charging for tiny portions. $11 for two biscuits with pork belly barely bigger than a poker chip, $10 for a peach salad with 3 small slices of peach and $8 for less than a cup of mac and cheese. Our waitress had no suggestions on what to order. We ordered the steak but she didn't have any steak knives...was going to "have to go dig around in the back to find some". And when I asked about our second round of drinks being so delayed she couldn't have cared less about checking on them. We will not be back. Spending $100+ on dinner in Thornton Park and leaving still hungry is insane. There are too many other places in Orlando that have great food and more of it at those prices. They need to either up the portion size or drop the prices and hire some better wait staff. Huge disappointment!
(2)
Asmi S.
The food was incredible. It's southern comfort staples with a contemporary twist. I am vegetarian so I was a little worried but this place was highly recommended by friends so my boyfriend and I decided to check it out. We got the fried tomato with pickled okra appetizer, chicken fried cauliflower steak, and banana meringue pudding and the potato chip chocolate cake. Everything was full of flavor with a decadent mix of textures. The service was excellent- very friendly staff. The manager and waiter came to our table many times during the meal to check up on us. Highly recommend this place!
(5)
Amy H.
So, so disappointed. Another Orlando let-down - but there is hope! First impression: Cozy, I like what they've done with the space. It has completely transformed from the cold, hollow, Sex and the City-era Hue. Moving into the bar, I immediately noticed (1) lack of patrons and (2) the pretty bartop with staggered seating (still undecided about this arrangement). A fan of Garden & Gun, I was excited to see they had some books laid out on the bar - maybe for the bored and lonely? Cute touch, but a little awkward and trying too hard to capture "southern" in a sprawling town with a cultural crisis. Maybe it's an attempt at educating those of us who order our iced tea sans syrup. Still, just kitschy. Not quite Cracker Barrel, but kitsch can be a slippery slope! Food, drink...and service: Watermelon cocktail to start - for $12, I should have detected a hint of vodka. The pink peppercorn flakes are just for show, didn't add anything to the flavor. It is supposed to be served with mint, which was the appeal for me - watermelon + lime + mint = yum! AFTER the bartender placed it in front of me, she said her mint wasn't up to par. When I asked what the solution was, she said she would go get mint, so I held off on sipping. Of course, she got wrapped up in a discussion of her fab ideas for whiskey flights with a group of men - investors? managers? - no idea and not relevant other than for the point that they were clearly more important than a guest waiting for her cocktail to be completed. The mint never found its way to the bar, so I sucked the watery (not even "refreshing," just watery) concoction down. When I finished, I was offered another, and when I declined, threw in a little feedback since this is a new place with some apparent kinks - no thanks, it was a little watery and definitely could have used the mint! Response: "Oh...I'm sorry." I can't even. Cauliflower steak - actually pretty nice! Not crazy about the salty red sauce served with it (green tomato/chile sauce would have been exciting!), but the cauliflower was great, not overcooked; the asparagus was just right; and the potatoes pulled it all together! Overall, I think this place is overpriced for what they have going now. Get that rumored happy hour going, fill up the bar early in the evening, and take some feedback. Take a field trip to New Orleans, shadow at Cochon! Don't fall into the Orlando trap of serving mediocre food and drink with a side of attitude.
(2)
Lindsey B.
Disappointed. I wanted to like this place, but the moment my $12 cocktail was poured from a pre made bottle, I knew I was doomed. I have no qualms of paying for good cocktails, but I at least would like them to be handcrafted. Boo. Overall, it just felt like it was a place trying too hard to be something it's not. My fave places include Cask & Larder, Rusty Spoon, etc. so to boast a (very) similar menu to those places with no where near the quality, it just doesn't work. If you're going to charge C&L prices, your food better be C&L quality! We had the tartare which tasted only of truffle oil, ruined the point of the dish in the first place. We also had pork belly biscuits and the mac & cheese which were slightly better, but overpriced. The market around this area is lower, so again, if you're going to have high prices make the drinks and food outstanding!
(1)
Laura M.
This was my first time visiting SoCo in Thorton Park... I enjoy eating out and have been in the business where we serve excellent, delicious food and beverages. But this visit was beyond amazing!! The general manager James was very knowledgeable about every food item and beverage on the menu and our server was very friendly and attentive!! The food was beyond amazing and phenomenal flavors. We ordered the Chicken Fried New York Strip and the Venison Chop Special; both were prepared to perfection Med Rare just as we ordered. SoCo is definitely a place I am planning on visiting time and time again!! If you are looking for something outside the box you should absolutely make it a point to visit this Local restaurant. You will love it and much as I did!! Laura G
(5)
Jackie P.
I just went the other night and LOVED this place. My husband and I ordered 4 'small plates' in order to try more things out without getting very full. I ordered the Royal Palm cocktail which was excellent but strong, which is just fine for me. It had dark chocolate bitters and orange, very delicious. My husband had a can of local beer, unfortunately they don't have draft beer but that was okay too. We ordered the: -crab stuffed deviled duck eggs: my favorite out of all the small plates, so delicious, so perfect. -shrimp and grits ravioli: although my husband and I are not huge fans of grits, I am a huge fan of shrimp so we went ahead and ordered this. It was awesome! The grits were delicious. -chicken and dumplings: my second favorite and my husbands favorite overall. Not traditional in that the chicken was sliced over the dumplings and there were edamames sprinkled all about the plate. However, this was still so creamy and delectable. -pork belly biscuits: much like the others, delicious and perfect. We avoided the jalapeno jelly because we're not too good with spicy stuff. Although we were assured that it was pretty sweet. The server checked on us all the time and made very helpful suggestions and made sure we understood everything on the menu. The manager passed by and checked on us a few times too, making food suggestions as well, which was nice. There was never a time where we didn't feel taken care of. We also ordered desserts: -house made moon pie: I know what you're thinking "we're not coming to a nice restaurant just to eat moon pies". It's a play on a moon pie, not an actual moon pie. And it is SO damn delicious. Seriously, if you are considering dessert, GET THIS. -potato chip crusted chocolate cake: Now you're thinking "ew, potato chips on my decadent chocolate cake". Think again! Salty and sweet, so yummy. Very thick and chocolatey cake with salty potato chips on the outside. Again...YUM. My one and only complaint is that it is a bit pricey. This makes me sad because I'd love to come here all the time but it's too expensive to be doing that. Otherwise, amazing place.
(4)
Dave G.
This place is Awesome. They have completely redone the old Hue Space. It's really nice, tasteful, but not over done. Been a fan of the Chef from his former restaurants... and here he has had a chance to do his own thing - and it's excellent food. been there 3 times in 2 weeks, my friends loved it. The bar is great, hand crafted cocktails, solid wine list. But the food is why you are here, and they don't disappoint. The Korean Chicken, Pecan Fluke are off the Chart !. You know you are going to have a special meal - when you find out the chef even makes his own Butter for the biscuits.
(5)
Janet B.
My husband and I went to Soco last night for dinner. The service was really good and the food was AMAZING! There wasn't a single thing we didn't enjoy. My husband had this watermelon cocktail that was so good - not too sweet, the perfect blend of a lot of different flavors. We had the pork belly biscuits and the fried green tomato salad for our starters. Both were delicious. My husband had the pork chop and I had the fluke for our entrees. Both fabulous. I even had a side of collard greens which were some of the best I have ever eaten. Being from the South, I thoroughly enjoyed this restaurant. The banana pudding is out of this world for desert. We also had the mini moon pies and RC Cola ice cream float - what a fun treat!! I highly, highly recommend this place. A great addition to Thornton Park!
(5)
Jill B.
SO delicious! And so incredibly nice. I came with my parents and boyfriend a couple months ago when I was there for my job. Everything was so good. From appetizers to dessert, I couldn't have asked for a better dinner in Orlando!
(5)
Jean R.
I've been back to SoCo three times since my initial review. I was initially very optimistic but I am officially giving up on it. The food is sometimes inspiring and sometimes lousy; at these prices, I expect consistency. For the most part, the service has been well-intentioned but often lacking polish. A few months ago, I ordered the fried green tomato which I had really liked on a previous visit. This time the tomato was red and the coating mushy. The chef actually sent the server back to the table with a slice of a different tomato that was half green and half red; not sure what the point of that was. The last time I had a horrible experience. I ordered the Arcitic char and it was a bit old so I sent it back. I didn't want to delay my companions so I asked the manager if the steak was sweet and she said the sauce was a bit sweet but they could put it on the side. The sauce was not sweet, the glaze that the steak was cooked in was sweet, so my steak was sweet. Sugar on my main courses makes my stomach lurch so I sent it back too. The manager was clearly livid and let me know it. She did not offer me anything else to eat so I sat there eating bread and picking off of my friends' plates for the rest of the meal. Granted, my friend's fluke was superb but this place is just too hit-and-miss. It was nearly empty on my last two visits so it seems the neighborhood agrees with me.
(2)
Irene P.
We were visiting Orlando and chose this restaurant because of it's location to downtown. The food did not disappoint. The corn bisque was rich & creamy. We ordered the meatloaf over lobster mashed potatoes, the hangar steak, the pecan crusted fluke and the King clip. Each diner enjoyed their entree. Presentation is picture perfect. Wish we could go back, because the sides offered on the menu also looked delish, but the entree sizes are adequate so ordering sides would have overdone it....plus we wanted dessert. Best one was the chocolate cake covered with crushed potato chips and nuts. Service was outstanding. The hostess, restaurant manager and our waiter...all made us feel welcome.
(5)
Kelsie R.
Saturday night, 6:30 reservation, party of ~13 1. THE FOOD WAS GOOD. 2. We were disappointed in the chocolate cake, though. 3. Our server spilled wine on one in our party. 4. Two items our birthday girl ordered did not arrive. 5. We told our server, Matt, in advance, that we would need separate checks. A. It took us 40 minutes to pay for our separate checks. B. The checks were not accurate, and multiple people had to send back corrections to their checks, causing further delays. C. The manager's response was, "Well, did you ask for separate checks?" We didn't want to get anything free, just some acknowledgment and respect for the poor service we received. We had a show to attend at 9:30. It's 9:35 and I am writing this review instead of seeing the show. #disappointed
(2)
Kathy Z.
Enjoyed dinner at this amazing restaurant before a show at the new performing arts center. The drinks were exceptional and complemented our dinner selections of Grilled Meatloaf on a bed of lobster mashed potatoes and Maple glazed hanger steak perfectly. Our server Matt was attentive and gave us wonderful suggestions for each course from drinks, appetizers, main course, to desert. Items not to miss are the chicken dumplings and banana pudding! The manager James stopped by the table a few times to make sure we were enjoying our meal. We will certainly return soon!
Respect to Nico, running the bar. Dude knows how to craft the cocktails. - Manhattan - done right - Watermelon Cooler - my friend Denise says it best, a 'pink panty-dropper'
(4)
Sarah G.
Small plate chicken & dumplings- not your grandma's. Perfect! We both had the pork chop & split squash casserole. Everything was great, including our server. We'll be back!
(5)
Cali G.
I went to SoCo last night with one of my girlfriends and we had a great time! We sat outside, the ambiance was fantastic and the food was unique and delicious. We started out with the Watermelon Cooler as a drink and normally I wouldn't go for something that sweet but our server assured us that it wouldn't disappoint and it definitely didn't! It was so refreshing that we gulped them down and ordered a bottle of house Pinot Nior. We were both in the mood for something light so I can't really speak for their main dishes but everything we ordered was fantastic. Our server made a suggestion to try the oysters and I'm glad we did! For my main dish I had the peach salad and my friend had Fried Green Tomatoes, Pickled Okra and Little Gems Greens which was also really good. We shared everything and even made a comment at the end of dinner that it felt so nice that we were overly full. I gave them 4 stars because some of our dishes did take a little while to come out but our server was so attentive and even offered us a complimentary dessert for waiting. I think that with new restaurants, these types of things take time to develop a flow so I didn't think it was a huge deal! Definitely recommend coming here for a delicious meal and good vibe!
(4)
Amy Lee P.
We have had 2 decadent brunches here. Unique food, great atmosphere and tasty cocktails.
(5)
Jessy B.
The first thing you notice when walking up to SoCo is how beautiful the restaurant is. Lots of burnt wood and soft light. The next thing i noticed is the massive amount of out door seating they had, on a comfortable Fl night, Id love to eat outside, snuggled against the curb, watching the down-towners walk about. Next is the atmosphere, the mood. Plenty of banter going on with music in the background, very inviting. You can eat and chat with out feeling too loud or out of place. We were seated next to the huge windows, the perfect seat I thought. Our server, whos name I regretfully forgot, was amazing. I have never had service that good. Excellent recommendations and extremely knowledgeable about the menu and tastes of the food. My companions got beers which they both loved and I chose from their selection of hot teas, Forte brand. Delicious. We ordered the Duck deviled eggs and pork belly biscuits for appetizers. The deviled eggs were delicious but I might skip them next time, simply because the price vs taste ratio was skewed to the price side. The pork belly biscuits though, despite them being 12$ for 2 biscuits, I wanted another right away. HEAVEN is the only word I could use to describe them. The hands of GOD made these biscuits. There is no other explanation for how delicious they were, simply divine. For dinner we ordered the smoked fish, chicken fried steak, and maple glazed steak. The meat was cooked perfectly. I did not personally like the fish, but I learned through out every dish Soco does vegetables so well. Every veggie on our plates was just amazing. I recommend trying something out of your comfort zone here, they do everything so well here. Im not even sure I can talk about dessert. Its almost a memory so great that I want to keep it just for myself. But what kind of review would this be if I didn't share? BANANA PUDDING: Bourbon, yes, and for someone who doesn't drink and does not like the taste of alcohol, let me tell you you can not taste it. The end of each spoonful has a slightly tangy edge to it that makes the dessert so refreshing, like the perfect end to the perfect meal. It doesn't crash into your face with sweetness, its just perfect. It comes with delicious vanilla wafers and a little waffle with fried bananas. Much yum. So good. BERRY CRISP: The ultimate cobbler. A mixture of berries with very little sweetener added and a crumbly topping baked to perfection. Did I mention that word before, perfect? A dollup of homemade vanilla on top adds just the right amount of cold to the toasty cobbler. Aw gawd, so good. POTATO CHIP CRUSTED CHOCOLATE CAKE: I know what you're thinking, ew. Or weird. But no, the salt of the potato sticks (not quit chips) goes perfectly with this rich and super moist chocolate cake. I mean, Ive never had chocolate cake SO moist. It was just... perfect. Please do not pass up any opportunity to throw your money at Soco. It is worth every single penny. Enjoy!
(5)
Amanda P.
Everything we ordered was fantastic! A bottle of La Crema Pinot to start ....Chicken & Dumplings, Fried Green Tomato Salad w/ Pickled Okra, Grilled Meatloaf & the desert special finished off a delicious evening! Thank you Scott O'Hara for making this night so special!! We'll definitely be back!
(5)
Mareen A.
Way overpriced for the quality of the food and service. Similar options in 32801 are half the price and better or the same quality.
(2)
Daina M.
great ambiance.. food was ok.
(3)
Nick M.
As young professionals living in Thornton Park, we have been looking forward to a new concept coming to the area ever since Hue closed. Although the new setup and decor was beautiful, we did not experience the "true southern hospitality" that they advertise. I made Sunday brunch reservations for a group of 16 for my birthday. The person assured me on the phone we would be at one table if we came at 11:00. Sure enough, they put us at two separate tables. Not a huge deal, we didn't say anything and made it work. We had 3 or 4 waiters taking orders and bringing drinks When the food came, one person in our party did not get her food. When we asked the waiters about it, they pointed to another person in our party and stated that "he is eating your food". "Well where is his food then, we got the same thing?" No the waiter said, "he ordered French Toast, but is eating your meatloaf". My friend being accused of eating someone else's dish heard what was going on and was flabbergasted that a waiter would accuse him of not knowing the difference between meatloaf and french toast. Two of the waiters now are trying to dispute this and embarrassing our party instead of just going in the back and fixing the miscommunication. My friend finally got her meal when we were all already finished with our food, and was brought the bill. They charged her for both meals, and we asked them to fix it, we were met with an eye roll. At this point we had enough and asked to speak to management. When the manager came over (an older male), we realized that the lack of customer service came from the top. He was immediately rude and said "you are 16 people and were served 16 meals, what is the problem?" SO rude. As I went on to explain the situation he says "well it is your word against the waiters. I don't have time for this." I thought the purpose of a manager was to fix situations and hear customers out so issues are prevented in the future. All we wanted was for our friends check to be fixed and an "I'm sorry" for the waiters disputing with a customer on what they ordered. I have worked in customer service for years and was honestly shocked at the attitude we were met with by this man. He kept stating what good yelp reviews the wait staff has received in the past and could not believe they would be wrong. No compassion for the customers at all. For such a new restaurant, I would expect the staff to go above and beyond to bring people back. I love the ambiance and location of Soco, but unfortunately do not know if I will be back and certainly will not bring such a large party back if I am going to be embarrassed of how they are treated. I didn't even mention how one waitress addressed a friend of mine as her hair color instead of what you would expect from a waiter in a professional, classy restaurant. I really want Soco to succeed, but they need to up their game in the training department before people get turned off. The food was decent, not huge portions for the price, but after the experience we had, everyone left with a bad taste in their mouth.
(2)
Michelle L.
The atmosphere was very inviting. Our server brought her southern charm and wowed us. Felicia explained the menu with such enthusiasm that it made it very difficult to decide what to order .After the agony of deciding I finally went with the shrimp and grits. It was to die for ! My husband got the pork chop and he cleaned his plate very quickly. The servers had very professional attire. They looked classic and sharp looking. I gave a 4 star because the manager came over to ask how we were doing. My mouth literally dropped. The outfit was not professional for this type of restaurant. I know it sounds odd, but it totally changed the vibe. If I had an issue and asked the manager to come over, the outfit alone would have sealed the deal for me never returning. But thanks to Felicia there was not an ounce of disappointment. She even recommend our banana pudding desert, that I am still dreaming about!
(4)
Steve D.
Came in Tuesday night at 930p for a late dinner, knowing we only had 30 minutes before SOCA closed (was our first time visit, found the place on foodspotting - we were staying in Lake Buena Vista for the night but made the drive out for something non-touristy). We were the only guests there and were given first class service by Aristed (sp?) - he kept reminding us that the entire kitchen staff was there for us and that we shouldn't ever feel rushed - they would close when we were finished. We dined on: truffle Mac/cheese (astounding), pork BBQ buttermilk biscuits (so so), chicken fried NY Strip & mashed potatoes (fantastic), rock shrimp hush puppies (not on the menu as an appetizer but when I expressed interest in trying them Aristed brought out an order - also fantastic but needed an accompanying sauce maybe?). My girlfriend loved the whiskey sour (perfectly made) and the beer and whiskey selection was fantastic (I had the Goose Island Sofie). We finished with the bourbon bread pudding which was excellent - with a really nice presentation. I would rate the food and beverages as an 9/10 and the service, ambiance (lighting and music) a solid 10/10. Aristed (who told us he has only been working there a few months) took great care of us and really believes in the vision of the Chef/Owner (who's name escapes me, sorry!) ... We also were given warm smiles and a "thank you" from two other employees on the way out the door. Keeping the lighting down and music playing until we were finished at 1045P (45 minutes after closing) was an effort that was appreciated and recognized as extremely rare. Highly recommend this spot - will definitely return (for brunch!) next time we are in Orlando.
(5)
Jennifer R.
In an effort to find a good Sunday Brunch, without a crazy wait, and also entertain friends in from out of town we landed on Soco. For having no reservations we got in pretty quick, by luck I'm sure but I'll take it! The entire table promptly ordered a round of Kentucky Coolers, which were delicious! I ordered the biscuits and gravy with pork Belly with a side of the baked cheddar grits. Both were quite good. In hindsight I probably should have just ordered the grits with a side of biscuits because those were my favorite parts. My boyfriend ordered the apple stuff French toast with a side of the macaroni and cheese. Both of his were really tasty although the French toast was so so so sweet. My friends ordered the fried quail and waffles and another order of French toast, the quail and waffles got rave reviews. Our waiter was super attentive and helpful. All around it was a successful brunch with great food, drinks, service, with no wait!
(4)
Dave H.
Bad. Expensive. And bad. We had three of the small plates, averaging $10 each. When they say small plates, they mean it. The chicken and dumplings dish was okay. The pork belly biscuits were okay but tiny. The ravioli shrimp and grits dish tasted really bad. After waiting so long for this place I was really disappointed. I notice that most of the reviews are focusing on the desserts, which we didn't try. We opted for cupcakes at the farmers market. Service was good.
(2)
Sharmain R.
This was my first visit to Soco at Thornton Park. I chose this restaurant because I love the Thornton Park area. This restaurant sits on the corner of Central Blvd Downtown Orlando. The ambiance of this restaurant is fine for dining. The entrance is clean and well maintained. The lighting in the restaurant is appropriate. The temperature is comfortable and the air quality is acceptable. The music is audible yet non-intrusive and appropriate. The women's restroom is clean and well stocked with adequate supplies. When I arrived at Soco, there was a male and female nicely dressed standing outside at the entrance. The male held the door open for me as I entered. I then made my way to the host stand. There was no one there. I waited for two minutes and I was not acknowledged. I looked at the two people still standing outside talking and wondered if they were a part of the staff. They both the entered the restaurant. The female approached the host stand and asked if I was being helped. I told her I was not. She asked how many were in my party. I told her that I was not sure and I would wait at the bar. I was not happy that they stood outside all that time while I waited for someone to greet me. Seeing that this was my first visit, I did not feel welcomed. I sat at the bar. The bar top was clean and the back bar area was neat and organized. I was greeted immediately by the female bartender. She smiled, made eye contact and greeted me warmly, and displayed appropriate body language and demeanor. She gave me a cocktail menu. She returned a few minutes later and asked what would I like to drink. I told her I wanted something sweet and she recommended three different cocktails. I asked her which one was the best and she said she preferred the Watermelon Cooler and described its taste and that it was very refreshing. She was absolutely correct. It tasted refreshing. She handed me a menu and I ordered the Duck Egg Salad and Vegan Tortellini. At no time did she introduce herself to me, so I asked her for her name eventually. The bar was not busy at that time, just me and two other guests. There were times that the bartender was not doing anything, yet she did not engage me in friendly conversation. The food was very tasty. The Duck Egg Salad was a small serving accompanied with fresh crispy crostinis. The Vegan Tortellini was a serving of smoked black-eyed peas in the Tortellini accompanied with asparagus brussel sprouts in a broth. I also had the Southern Belle dessert which was to die for. It was made with apple and had coconut on top sitting in a white vanilla whiskey sauce. I like this restaurant for the ambiance and the food. However, I probably would not recommend based on just the service. Hopefully, if I do plan to return I would have a better time.
(3)
Georgina G.
Been here twice for dinner; once with a group of 5 and the other with just 1 other person. Service and food were both consistent each time. The food was delish and the service was friendly and attentive. Would go back again but for brunch next time.
(4)
Elizabeth W.
I honestly wouldn't have known about this place if they hadn't been part of magical dining because I live in the international drive area of Orlando but I'm so happy I found them because I truly fell in love. I took my mother out for magical dining and we started off with the cornmeal crisped oysters and the pork belly biscuits, both were really delicious, the oysters had a nice texture and were served on top of pork rinds which I thought was a nice, whimsical touch and the pork belly on the biscuits was really tender with the jalepeño jelly adding a nice kick. We tried a couple of the cocktails, I highly recommend the watermelon cooler if you like something that's equally sweet and tangy. The flavor was so amazing, it reminded me of this candy that warheads used to make when I was a kid, they discontinued it and I have spent a majority of my adult life searching to see if there is anywhere I could find it and have been unsuccessful. Imagine my surprise and absolute delight that I found my very own new version of this candy with the upgrade of vodka inside. Honestly, if there's anything that will bring me back here, it's mainly that drink. For the entree I chose the grilled heritage pork chop which is rare for me because pork has to be cooked right for me to enjoy it and is often times overcooked, but they put the pork through a three-step process which keeps its tender, juicy, and delicious and I was truly impressed. The grit cake and the collard greens married with it perfectly it terms of texture and flavor. My mom ordered the grilled meatloaf on lobster mashed potatoes which was honestly the ultimate comfort food dish, it was wonderfully sinful but it was served with grilled asparagus so that makes it okay, right? I loved that there were actual chunks of lobster in the potatoes and the meatloaf was so good it almost seems like calling it a "meatloaf" is insulting. We wrapped it up with the bourbon banana pudding. It was delicious though I would have enjoyed it more if it was served colder. I'm a big lover of pudding, it's the kid in me and they truly hit the flavor spot by adding a noticeable amount of bourbon. Everything was delicious, the service way good and attentive, and I will be definitely be back because every single thing on that menu was calling my name and I need to respond.
(5)
Mike W.
This is the most deserving of the 5 star restaurant in Orlando. From the hostess to the service and finally to the food everything is high class southern food with a contemporary flair. This trip I have the grilled meatloaf with lobster mashed potatoes. The meal left me utterly speechless. Its simply one of the best dishes i've ever had and absolutely everything i've been craving. Another highlight of the menu is their pork belly and their biscuits. You must have the biscuits!
(5)
Stanley Y.
4.75 stars 2nd time in 3 nights. 5 night stay in Orlando, only restaurant we went to twice. Corn bisque is awesome. Collard greens side... I'm a big fan. Smoked cobia was the healthy choice after eating too much theme park food lately. The white bean salsa was nice. Hangar steak is really good. Bourbon banana bread pudding... Yes!! It's a must have. The waffle goes so well with it. I really should give this place 5 stars.
(5)
Mike P.
After waking up late, my wife and I found that our daughter wanted us to join her for brunch at Soco. We met up at noon and our daughter and granddaughter already had a table on the patio that was shaded. After being seated our server gave us a few minutes to visit before taking our drink order which was greatly appreciated. Normally it is coffee for me and a mimosa for my wife but we both wanted coffee today. They use a French press for their coffee which really makes for a great cup of Joe. Our daughter ordered the Crab Stuffed Deviled Duck Eggs as an appetizer. My wife and daughter had the Baby Romaine Lettuce with soft fried egg and I chose the Crispy Duck Confit Potato Cakes with a side of grits. We each had one of the Duck Eggs and just like the last time, they were delicious. The crab is very subtle and does not overpower the flavor of the duck egg. Nicely done is all I have to say. I tasted my wife's soft fried egg and it was well executed. I have tried many times to make soft fried eggs and can never seem to get the perfect level of crispiness on the outside without overcooking the yolk. My last trip here the chef was not satisfies with the grits so I missed out. Well this time he approved and they made it to the table. It was worth the wait to try them because there were some of the best cheese grits I have ever tasted. The crust on the top caught me off guard but it did not take away from the grits in any way. I could have made a meal of these grits alone because they were that good! Last up is my Crispy Duck Confit Potato Cakes. The presentation was very nice. The Sauce on the plate was incredible but the Duck Confit Potato Cakes did not have as much duck flavor as I would have expected. The texture was great but I would have preferred a slightly stronger duck flavor. Keep in mind that is just MY personal preference. If you prefer a more subtle balance of the duck in the potato cake, you will love them. When it came time for a second pot of coffee, it took a bit of time and our coffee had not arrived. I said something to our server she said there was an issue with the hot water. Well I told her to nix the coffee because I just grew impatient waiting for more coffee. To my surprise she brought us a second pot with her sincerest of apologies and never even charged us for the coffee. I can understand things not going quite to plan but she stepped up and turned a negative into a positive. That is the difference between good service and great service. You can bet we'll be back again...
(5)
Kristen M.
10/10 meal again last night at Soco. My friend and I split our two favorite dishes: the meatloaf and the cauliflower steak. Both were delicious. And nothing beats the Watermelon Cooler cocktail. Chef Richie... you totally rock!!
(5)
Daniel C.
Tuesday night the girls and I went to SOCO a new place downtown orlando. Soco focuses on southern dishes with locally grown produce and meats. The girls had old fashioned's to drink which were fancied up with a giant ice cube like you'd expect. We started out with a biscuit basket and Jalepeño Jelly. They were gigantic biscuits but didn't seem specifically home made even though I know they were. Rachel and I shared Slow-Roasted Barbecue-Glazed Pork Belly Biscuits (Jalapeño Jelly, Chow-Chow) which it seems like she didn't really care for but I did enjoy. For entrees Rachel and Jen both got seafood dishes. The Pecan Crusted Fluke and one of the mains fish dishes was subbed with Salmon that night I believe. The girls seemed to enjoy their fish. Tara and I got two dishes and agreed to share. I got the Chicken-Fried New York Strip (Garlic Mashed Potatoes, White Truffle Pepper Gravy) and Tara got the Lake Meadow Naturals Korean-Style Fried Chicken (Pickled Radishes, Sweet and Spicy Sauce). Overall delicious. Will be back when i go to Orlando.
(5)
Ryan F.
I don't think I have much to say that everyone else hasn't said. We had 6:00 reservations on a Friday and were seated immediately (there weren't many other people eating yet). My Gin and Juice cocktail was good, not $12 good, but good. Fried Green Tomato salad was tasty and a pretty good price. Biscuits were delicious and HUGE. Chicken Fried Cauliflower was quite good. I enjoyed the sauce. Cauliflower and asparagus were cooked perfectly. Mashed potatoes were not memorable but not bad. Boyfriend said his Grilled Meatloaf was very good. He did ask for Garlic Mash instead of the Lobster Mash and was told ok by the server but he got Lobster Mash (which he just ate, picking around the lobster because it didn't have a super strong flavor). Banana Pudding was really good. Eat each bite with a little caramel. Yum! We got 20% off by showing tickets for a show at DPAC which made the potential $99 check only $80 which was great! Final verdict is that I didn't leave craving to eat any of the items I tried again. For the price, we probably won't be back because there's other places I'd love to go to for a special occasion BUT it was good. If they dropped their prices a bit I'd come again. I want to do brunch here but GEEZ is it crazy expensive for a mid-day meal. The server was nice although somewhat abrupt. She seemed to not really care about our answers to her questions but she didn't bother me specifically and was friendly enough.
(4)
Brittany B.
We visited Soco during Magical Dining and had a great time! The Pork Belly Biscuits were unbelievable as was the Pimento Cheese Mornay on the Heritage Pork Chop that my husband got! I had the Grilled Meatloaf with Lobster Mashed Potatoes and it was delicious. They also had a great bourbon list, which included some from local distilleries. We will definitely be going back to try more menu items.
(5)
Cari W.
I was looking for a 'new' place to try and heard about SOCO in the Orlando Weekly. Our friends met us there & were waiting at the bar. The restaurant features a lot of dark liquor cocktails which isn't our thing so the bartender made her a elderflower, ginger lime martini that was really good so I ordered one too. For bar snacks they out out ramekins of toasted hominy that was so good we highjacked the ramekin & took it back to our table. For apps we ordered the mac & cheese croquettes which were very good & my husband got the Barbecue-Glazed Pork Belly Biscuits with Jalapeño Jelly which he said were also really good. My friend & I both ordered the corn bisque - all I can say is WOW! They bring out this bowl that is so hot you can't touch it & in the both are a handful of corn niblets & bits of crispy ham (I was ham free); they then pour the soup into the bowl. It was one of the most delicious things I've ever tasted! Slightly sweet and creamy and so flavorful. My friend & I both ordered the hicken-Fried Cauliflower "Steak" that came with Asparagus, Artichoke, Garlic Mashed Potatoes & Tomato Gravy. That was also delicious. My husband got the pork which he said was good but could've used salt & pepper. My friend's husband got the New York strip which he said was good. Even tough we were all stuffed we had to try dessert. My husband & I shared the Potato Chip Crusted Chocolate Cake with Peanut Brittle & Salted Caramel and it was fantastic. Our friends tried the Bourbon Banana Pudding which was overly sweet, but the donut that came with it was nice & airy. I am looking forward to going back & trying some other things on the menu. As a vegetarian it was nice that they had several vegetarian options for me to choose from instead of being stuck having to order a salad.
(5)
Drew S.
Very very good. Our server Amanda was super nice. Our table liked everything and ordered the... -Fluke -Meatloaf -Pork Chop -Cauliflower Steak (yummy) -Sausage Ravioli -Chicken and Dumplings -Pork Belly Biscuits (phenomenally good) -Berry Cobbler One old guy was complaining about the lack of sweet tea on the menu. Which really is odd that a Southern restaurant doesn't have that. My ultimate litmus test for a restaurant is, "If someone paid for me to eat anywhere in the city, would I rather try somewhere new, or go back here?". Meal was good, but there's still many other places I'd wanna try before returning. Definitely worth checking out. And if I was in the neighborhood, I'd return in a heartbeat for the pork belly biscuits.
(4)
Alexandra M.
Came here for Sunday brunch with my boyfriend a few weeks ago, and my WORD, we left there the happiest of customers! Unlimited mimosas were awesome! Our waitress was so on point with refilling them (and our waters, which is key for me) every time we took one little sip. We mainly just ordered a ton of small plates, all of which were delectable. I want to shake whoever's hands were responsible! Overall, great relaxing atmosphere, amazingly crafted menu items, and totally worth the prices. Can't wait to try their dinner menu.
(5)
Danielle D.
-4 stars for the cocktails. During happy hour they are $8 when they are normally $12 so it's a good deal and you could tell they were made with care. -4 stars for the pork belly biscuits -5 stars for the meatloaf entree -2 stars for the potato chip chocol
Soco is a nice option in Orlando, but not necessarily going to be a big repeat for us. The food was fine, they had very high class service, but it just didn't have the wow factor of a lot of other locations. I loved an Asian lobster/mushroom dish the we had, but nothing else really stood out. We were there for our anniversary and they were kind enough to recognize that. I just never like the feeling of making a reservation for a restaurant and feeling like no one else is there.
(4)
T F.
Amazing atmosphere and good. I highly recommend the chicken fried NY strip and the cream of corn soup! The mac and cheese is a definite must. Incredible service. Don't forget to leave room for dessert....chocolate potatoes chip cake!! Yum
(5)
Andi P.
4 Stars for a great ambiance, a FAB dessert, and good stuff in between. We got to SoCo pretty early for a group dinner so we sat at the bar for a drink first. I ordered a gin and tonic and my fella ordered Soco's take on a rum and [cherry] coke. His was great! Pretty sweet, but homemade soda and syrups made all the difference. Mine was ~meh~. I strayed from the cocktail menu but hoped that such a basic drink might be elevated with a fun cucumber slice or a twig of herbs, but it just had the lime that I asked for. Not complaining though because I certainly could have asked for the bartender to be creative with it. My friends arrived 10 mins late after calling the restaurant to push back the reservation. Apparently despite confirming that a table would be ready by then we were apologetically told that they had mistakenly given away the table. It was a bummer because it had been pouring down rain and though they wanted to get us seated after the snafu right away, no one was leaving their tables to venture out into the abyss. Finally, after the birthday girls' husband kept complaining because he'd been sure to confirm, a table was ready. Right away I knew I needed to Pork Belly Biscuits. And because I imagined they'd be wonderfully sinful I paired that with the fired green tomato salad. I have to say that though I liked the jalapeño jam and the pickled tomatoes, the biscuit was a bit thick to eat with the pork. I ended up deconstructing it a bit though and enjoyed each element separately. The fried green tomato salad was very good! Some of the greens were bitter but they were all tossed in a great dressing and the fried tomatoes were tart and crisp. We topped the night off with the famous slice of chocolate cake with string fries on it. The sweet and salty was divine! Additionally there were small cracks of salted caramel on the plate that added a real crunch to a super soft and moist cake. This dessert was the standout for me! AND, the server humored us and sang happy birthday to my friend while bringing out the cake slice with a lit candle. I had a great time and hopefully I'll get a chance to return soon!
(4)
Krishna D.
This place is delightful. The food is delicious and so custom. The vibe here is super hip and trendy. The service is also fabulous. I had the meatloaf with lobster mashed potatoes which I highly recommend. We also had the Mac n cheese balls for an appetizer and the bread pudding for dessert. Both were fabulous. Everything was cooked excellently with a non traditional flair.
(5)
Andrew H.
Soco's menu combines Greg Richie's classic culinary training with his experiences at renowned Southern restaurants such as Charleston's Magnolias and The Abbey in Atlanta. A progressive culinary approach is showcased with new, exciting and contemporary takes on Southern-inspired dishes. "Small Plates" begin with reinterpreted presentations such as Soco-Style Chicken and Dumplings that feature carved chicken breast, lobster dumpling, local mushrooms, edamame and soy butter. Other unique Soco twists include the Cornmeal Crisped Oysters that include pickled green tomato relish, and herb cream served atop chicharrones. The restaurant also features a "From The Garden" section, which offers a range of salad courses with interesting ingredients like compressed pickled peaches and arugula and baby romaine lettuce with soft fried egg, among others. For some of the Main and Feature dishes, Richie has played on the nostalgia of classic southern cuisine by creating a Lake Meadow Naturals Korean-Style Fried Chicken with pickled radishes, and a sweet and spicy dipping sauce. Other classic southern dishes that are taken up a notch include the Grilled Meatloaf on lobster mashed potatoes that feature a three-meat blend with crispy onion rings and a smoked Vidalia and Andouille sausage gravy. They even have a creative southern dish for all the vegetarians out there with a Chicken Fried Cauliflower Steak, that features asparagus, artichoke, garlic mashed potatoes and vine ripe tomato gravy. Starting with the "Small Plates", I sampled the Slow Roasted Barbecue Glazed Pork Belly Biscuits with Jalapeno Jelly. The Biscuits were very good, and as a Southerner, that says a lot. The flavors of the pork belly and Jalapeno jelly made these tasty little treats. The Cornmeal Crisped Oysters were a personal favorite. Lightly breaded and fried oysters served atop chicharrones and topped with green tomato relish and herb cream. Soco Style Chicken and Dumplings were very different, and very good. The dumplings come with chicken breast, lobster and mushrooms in an edamame soy butter sauce. Not your grandmas dumplings. Another unique Soco dish was the Hand Made Canaveral Shrimp and Grits Ravioli. Served with Andouille sausage, tomatoes and a classic Veloute sauce, this will make you rethink your definition of Shrimp & Grits. Out of sheer curiosity, for my entree selection I ordered the Chicken Fried New York Strip Steak. It sounds wild, but its actually a play on the classic schnitzel, but with a nice cut of beef. It was surprisingly tender and delicious. The Grilled Meatloaf on Lobster mashed Potatoes was really good. The meatloaf is made of 3 different meats and is served with a smoked Vidalia and Andouille sausage gravy. One of the "Feature" items at Soco is the Lake Meadow Naturals Korean Style Fried Chicken. The chicken is seasoned over night and coated in a thick and crispy batter that is topped with a sweet and spicy soy sauce. All my vegetarian friends should be pleased with the Chicken Fried Cauliflower Steak. Cauliflower is pressed together and formed into a patty and gets breaded and deep fried. This actually tasted pretty good, and I'm not a fan of non meat dishes. The taste of the South continued on in the dessert courses as well. Some of the home-style dessert offerings include Bourbon Banana Pudding, House-Made Moon Pie with RC Cola vanilla float, and Warm Apple and Oatmeal Spice Cake. First up, the Bourbon Banana Pudding. This was a spectacular dessert. When you make a Waffle out of Vanilla Wafers, that is dessert genius, then add on caramelized banana and toasted meringue...wow! The House Made Moon Pie with RC Cola Float was another cool Soco take on a classic Southern treat. Very good and very fun to eat.Another Unique dessert was the Potato Chip Crusted Chocolate Cake. Very simple in concept, salty and sweet and the cake was moist and delicious. The Warm Apple and Oatmeal Spice Cake was a nice treat as well. It is served in a pink peppercorn whiskey syrup and topped with shredded coconut. For something more traditional there is the Warm Berry Crisp served with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. This is an old southern classic dessert dish that will make you feel right at home
(4)
Cecille R.
My husband and I decided to stay local and dine here for our anniversary dinner. I was a little worried because of the numerous 1 star reviews but we decided to give it a go based on the menu. Since it would be a Monday night dinner, I wasn't worried about spots filling up but I made a reservation on Opentable just to be safe. The location is located in the former Hue space in the Thornton Park District. Parking is in the garage that is connected to the building (entrances at Eola Dr and at Washington St) or you can try your luck for street parking. Unfortunately, they don't validate. For a couple of hours, we paid $4 so it wasn't terribly priced but make sure you have cash as I am not sure they take credit cards. They did a great job remodeling the space. It's gorgeous. Lots of exposed and distressed wood showing in the signage and decor. The outdoor patio would be perfect for Sunday brunch. There were lots of parties dining outside that night enjoying the nice weather. Because of our experience at other restaurants in the past with dining outside and getting neglected service wise, I decided we should dine inside. I was pleased to see that as fancy as the restaurant looks from the outside, diners seemed to be casually dressed. I had a casual dress on but from the looks of others with tshirts and shorts on, I think the restaurant seems to be very laidback and local friendly which I can appreciate. Our meal , from beginning to end, went off without a hitch. We were given 2 complimentary champagne flutes to celebrate the special occasion. Our server, Paul, was SO nice and basically there for anything we needed. He let us know that Executive Chef Greg Richie trained under celeb chefs Emeril Lagasse and Roy Yamaguchi and that Soco is Chef Richie's contemporary interpretation of southern cuisine, which is a nod to his southern roots. Everything on the menu looked fantastic and there was a great mix of items--seafood, chicken, beef-- to choose from. There was a list of "Small Plates" to start with (ranging from $7-12). We went with the hand made Canaveral "shrimp and grits" ravioli as well as the Soco style "chicken and dumplings". Our server also talked us into the buttermilk biscuits that are made in house with local cream. Everything was delicious. They are indeed small plates but allowed a couple bites for each of us per plate. My favorite was the chicken and dumplings which was a very contemporary version and less fattening than your Cracker Barrel version. The buttermilk biscuits were light and fluffy and HUGE. They came 4 to a basket and I could only eat 1. And the butter on that biscuit was heaven. If they do biscuits and gravy on their brunch menu someday, that will be popular item. Just saying. As if that wasn't enough food, we kept plugging along and ordered our entrees. My husband went with the grilled meatloaf on lobster mashed potatoes. I was torn between 3 different fish entrees and our server was able to explain the different kinds of fish and their differences to help me make my decision. I went with the pecan crusted Carolina fluke. When our entrees came out, we were pleasantly surprised . These were pricey entrees but they were huge servings especially for my Meat and potatoes husband. I enjoyed my meal- the 2 pieces of fish were lightly crusted with pecans set above a bed of rice with a side of sliced okras and shrimp hushpuppies. I took a bite of my husband's lobster mashed potatoes. OMG. Soo much food made for lots of leftovers for me. My husband cleared his plate. ;) By the time dessert rolled around, we decided to split the house made moon pie and RC Cola Vanilla ice cream float. Good idea as it was a good portion for both of us to share. It came with 3 mini moonpies. They were a bit hard to chew due to being refrigerated so I would suggest letting them thaw before serving. But the flavors were totally reminiscent of the original moonpie! The RC cola ice cream float came in glass with 2 straws to share as well as 2 spoons to scoop out. Just a fun way to enjoy dessert. This place is such a welcome addition to the neighborhood and was just so amazing. I'm so glad we chose to dine here. Service was spectacular and the food did not disappoint. I'm really hoping that our experience will stay consistent the next time we decide to splurge and dine here. They have a good thing going and I'm really hoping they survive!
(5)
Alison M.
We had a group dinner at SOCO for my team at work. About 25 in the party and to the staff's defense some of us were seated about 10 minutes after the group had arrived. The place has a fantastic vibe with great mixed drinks. The menu is on point with other restaurants of the kind and it was kept up very well. With all that said, there are some details to service of which the staff fails to pay attention. For one, a restaurant of this kind should never be screaming out who had this and who had that when serving plates of food. Easy solution: number each seat at every table and follow that from server to kitchen to runners. Not a hard task, but makes a HUGE difference. Next, Take the appetizer and entree order at the same time. A well trained server should know when to fire the entree so that it arrives at the perfect time. At this restaurant we ordered our appetizers, finished most of them and still had yet to order our entrees. This broke up our dinner time where we had to stop enjoying conversation and food to go back through the ordering process and then had to stop our conversations yet again when the food was brought out to the table because servers were holding plates over our heads screaming who had this and who had that. Particularly concerning was that the manager of the restaurant (in suit and tie) did the same thing with calling out entrees asking who had what. How are your servers supposed to know what to do when the manager doesn't set a good example? Lack of training to the servers is what made me give this place a 3.... food was excellent and prepared and plated exactly as ordered. My suggestion, bring someone in to train your staff to match the atmosphere and food. This place has awesome potential and if you can get past the small but significant service issues you should definitely make a visit.
(3)
Gabriela A.
The interior design is interesting, think up-scale southern food. I went there for brunch with a friend and ordered chicken and dumplings for an appetizer. The dumplings are labeled under the "small plates" section. THIS IS LITERAL and also it is $10 for three dumplings that are each the size of egg yolk. Our server was weird and seemed to be very new to serving because she asked strange questions. I ordered the Lobster Benedict which was extremely disappointing for $19 considering I had three very small bits of lobster each the size of a pistachio (that I had to look for since the first three bites didn't have any lobster tastes to them.) The Benedict it's self was good but considering it is advertised as lobster Benedict I expected their to be 19 dollars worth of LOBSTER. Mentioned this to the server but she didn't do anything about it. C'mon guys, for the price you can do much better. Will not be returning. Also the country music they played was just awful and loud as hell.
(1)
Shayne M.
By far the worst dining experience in Orlando after 30 years. 75 minutes after our reservation we still didn't have a table. It took us saying something after repeated asks for a table, drinks that never showed, and undercooked appetizers to only be told by Mark Weissberg, the "director of operations" that they've never had an unhappy customer. We wouldn't know because your service is so bad we never got a table. Do yourself a favor and don't waste your time with this overly pretentious, full of themselves establishment and go to one of Orlando's other amazing restaurants.
(1)
Allison H.
My husband and I went to Soco for dinner with another couple. We like the Thornton Park area a lot, so we wanted to give it a try. We went in and when asked if there were any tables available, the hostess replied "I don't know". The other host checked for us and sat us outside. The vibe was a little pretentious, but we went with it. We ordered the pork belly biscuits and the ravioli as app. Both plates came out fast and hot and were very good. For entrees, we were slightly disappointed. My husband had the hangar steak, I had the Carolina Fluke. I can't complain on flavors, but I can complain on price. With all of the other restaurants in the area, we didn't feel our entrees were worth the price. The servers were nice, but we had at least five different people visit our table. That was a little confusing. We left feeling satisfied, but none of us were full. I would say skip Soco and spend your money at Ravenous Pig or Cask & Larder or Scratch, where they truly care about their patrons and the food quality matches the price.
The service was a bit disjointed and needs some work, but they serve some of the best high-end grub and drinks I've had in Orlando. Will definitely make a return visit and hope to find that the service has improved.
(4)
Kelly W.
After seeing the improvements at City Fish, I had such high hopes for SoCo, and I haven't totally written it off, but our meal was a bit underwhelming. We showed up on a Sunday with a reservation, and were seated immediately. The place wasn't over crowded, but sill had a number of people eating. The staff was attentive, but seemed a bit green, splashing water and such, again nothing horrible, but not impressive either. We both got a fish entree, don't recall the exact fish, mine was served over grits with Swiss chard and ham broth, my husbands was pecan crusted. Both were cooked perfectly, but over salted. I though my husbands tasted pretty good, but mine was just not working. The shard was very bitter, and there was a lot of it. I like me some southern greens, but they were all bite and not much else, adding to that was the salty broth, the salty fish, and then the grits. I appreciated the southern spin, but the flavors just didn't do it for me. We finished with a seasonal berry cobbler, which was...nice, but forgetful. Overall we paid for a spectacular meal and got a forgetful one. However, I can see the talent and inspiration is there and I'm willing to give it another go thinking maybe we just got the wrong thing.
I'd give this 3.5 stars if possible. Based on the food, it's 4 stars, IMO, but the service was 3 stars. Met some friends for dinner on Saturday night. Arrived early to enjoy a drink at the bar and get a feel for the place. Our timing was perfect as there were 2 empty seats so we grabbed them. Problem number 1 was the period of time it took for us to be acknowledged by the bar staff. We waited 5 or 6 minutes before anyone greeted us, which isn't the end of the world by any means, but what type of service is to be expected from an establishment like this? Top notch service? I'd assume so based on the variety and price point of their bar menu. Also keep in mind, there were 5 people working behind the bar, I'm assuming one bartender made drinks for the patrons in the restaurant and the remaining 4 bartenders serviced the bar area. The bar area isn't huge, maybe 25 barstools, so the ratio of bartenders to patrons is comfortable, even if they are making "hand crafted" drinks. Enough about the bar service. SOCO offers a great selection of bourbons and whiskeys as well as craft beer. I don't drink mixed drinks, but the bar was pumping them out left right and center. I agree with other yelpers, the drinks are spendy, but I guess that's the price of exotic cocktails these days. We enjoyed the cheese platter while waiting for the other half of our group and it was excellent. The food runner couldn't identify the cheese variety (he knew the easy ones) and when we initially inquired about the cheese selection with the bartender, he explained it changes all the time. Ok, good to know. Let's blindly order a $16 cheese platter and hope for the best. In this instance it didn't bite us but the staff should know which 4 cheeses are being presented. We were seated in a very small 4 top near the bathroom right around the time of our reservation. The table should be bigger, particularly when they serve small plate food on large plates. Again, nitpicky but we made it work. On to the food. Our half of the table ordered the cornmeal crisped oysters, the pork belly biscuits, the baby romaine with soft fried egg, and the pork chop entree. As a table, we split the mac and cheese which is easily the best dish we ordered collectively. Other side of the table had the steak tartare, shrimp and grits ravioli, and the meatloaf. Despite what other reviewers have mentioned, I think the entrees are very fairly priced. The oysters paired with a crunchy chicharrone was a good starter as well as the pork sliders. I found the steak tartare, while slightly heavy handed on the truffle oil, maybe the best small plate we ordered. Steak tartare portion is generous but they don't bring enough bread/crustini, so ask for more. The baby romaine with soft fried egg was absolutely exceptional. Pork Chop entree was good and served a little pink, so if you don't like it that way, try something else. Dessert. I was excited about the french press. Our server suggested the brazilian roast and it was outstanding. We settled on the chocolate cake and potato chip as well as the salted caramel. I liked both desserts but the chocolate cake wasn't well received on the other side of the table. We had to wait 15-20 minutes for our desserts to arrive, at which time the coffee was already consumed. The server stopped by and apologized for the wait. We'd contemplated canceling dessert and asking for the check as we were all ready to go but we opted to stay. A hostess/manager delivered our desserts and offered us some sparkling wine which we accepted. The sparkling wine and desserts were comped. It was a nice gesture but if I have my choice of a better dining experience versus free stuff, I'd rather the former. All in all, I think the food was in the 4 star realm but the experience was tainted by the service. We walked out the door $150+/- lighter and for that money, service needs to be spot on. I think I'll give SOCO another try for happy hour and explore more of the menu.
(3)
James S.
A very good dining experience. The chicken and dumplings were amazing. The corbia was slighty fishy. More diversity is needed on the menu along with more salad options. Great bar area.
(4)
Dr Romie M.
*Please note I would have given this restaurant a 4.5 starts, but I have a problem with my bill, double charges, and unresolved issues despite being assured everything was resolved. I made reservations at this restaurant for a special occasion of an important friend. We were warmly greeted at the door by an enthusiastic manager who gave us the history of the chef, the restaurant, and what inspired the menu. The cuisine is wonderful and worth the higher price point they charge. My salad of fried green tomatoes and pickled okra was delicious. We ordered seafood entrees of pecan crusted red snapper and cast iron seared arctic char. Both were delicious. Gluten free options on the menu as well. At the end of the evening I was presented a bill that appeared to be double what I expected the charges to be, but did not want to cause a scene in front of my guest. I mistakenly signed the bill, and the waiter did come back 10 minutes later admitting they made a mistake (put two tables' charges on my bill). He assured me that the initial charge was voided out and presented me with my new bill. I checked my credit card statement today and both charges are on my bill. I am not sure if this is inexperienced staff at a new restaurant or a faulty accounting system. I am now left in a pickle trying to dispute the charges with my credit card company- something I don't have time for or enjoy doing. I hope they work out their problem with inexperienced staff/computer programs/etc. Given my problems, I am not sure I would return again. The menu is great, but there are planty of other high end dining options in Orlando with better organization.
(3)
Kathy K.
Great location, unique menu and great service. Only the bar serves happy hour so that's the downside.
(4)
Josh L.
We had a nice date night, all three small plate appetizers came out within 5 minutes which was too fast. The pork belly biscuits were fine but not great. The chicken and dumplings were incredible, and the scallop crudo was refined but the soy sauce dominated the other flavors.The service was great, our server was attentive and on the ball. We ordered both the meatloaf and the cauliflower steak. Both were a little too salty. Great service and cocktails, but slight miscues on the food. I will come back one more time for sure.
(3)
Michelle H.
Ask for Felicia to be your server. Cool new concept for downtown Orlando. I live in the dt area and am stoked to have a new place to enjoy good dining. Our server: Felicia.... And by her name, not what you might be expecting. She was a southern girl who at some points I thought might have been a paid actor bc of how good she was. A+ service and recommendations! Order: chicken and dumplings (small plate) it was awesome. An absolute must Reconsider Ordering: Tuna Tartare (I am a huge tuna tartare person however at this place stick with the southern contemp theme) Order: the duck entree (phenomenal and different from my usual ordering habits) Order: banana pudding (dip the waffles in it... As Felicia encouraged!) Side Note: I'm in the hospitality industry, so the service is what made this experience. The food was great but of course our selections were dictated by our server and she was well educated on her suggestions.
(4)
Barbara W.
Excellent food, wonderful service and ambience. My brother was visiting over the weekend and we showed up Saturday night without a reservation. They managed to seat us in the lounge area and it was hopping. Lots of dressed-up people out for a nice dinner. My brother is SUPER picky about food and he loved his fish (something unusual-sounding -- I don't remember the name of it). He complimented the general manager in a very good way saying it was on a par with Gallitoire's (sp?) in New Orleans. I wasn't that hungry, so I got the alleged chicken and dumplings small plate. It was too dark to see it, but it was better than any "chicken and dumplings" I've ever known. Lobstery and delicious. Helpful hint: Take your reading glasses and a small flashlight if you're over that certain age. :-) It's dark.
(5)
Ronald N.
Great food and friendly attentive service. The inventiveness of the menu wows the taste buds. The grilled meatloaf on lobster mashed potatoes is a must try. Also the honey rye sour started off a perfect evening.
Menu is awesome! Scott and Christian are the best!! My new favorite in Orlando!!! SoCo rocks!!!!
(5)
Liza S.
I travel all around the country for work and am very fortunate to dine at the best restaurants. On a recent visit to Orlando I decided to walk into Soco and ask about dessert. The hosts described the Potato Chip Crusted Chocolate Cake Peanut Brittle, Salted Caramel and I couldn't resist. I asked to be seated in the bar area which she promptly sat me in a corner table. My server was Felicia and she was very attentive to my requests. The Potato Chip Crusted Chocolate Cake was divine and the glass of port complimented the dessert. While I sat enjoying the dessert a couple of employees asked if I needed anything so the staff overall was awesome! Chef Greg Richie came over to introduce himself to me which I thought was very thoughtful of him to take the time to greet a guest. Thanks to all especially Felicia for making my dining experience a world class adventure.
(5)
B H.
Best new spot in Orlando! The watermelon cocktail is fantastic - not too sweet and very refreshing. Highly recommend. The chicken and lobster dumplings are to die for (is it wrong that I wanted to put in a second order?) I was taken aback by some of the dishes at first because many featured bacon or ham, but I found out practically every item can be requested without the meat (ie mac and cheese without bacon, turnip soup without ham, etc). I thought that was great, and the cauliflower steak is the best vegetarian entree I've ever had. Really unique and delicious. Dessert also rocks - potato chip chocolate cake and banana pudding are my favorites. Runners-up include th salted caramel ice cream and the spice cake. I've been here many times already because I live downtown, and the food is consistently good. Can't wait for SoCo to start serving brunch!
(5)
Jenna U.
Absolutely fantastic from the atmosphere to the food and service. I highly recommend the chicken and dumplings appetizer. Will be returning again and again!
(5)
Lissa B.
Was truly impressed from the moment we arrived. Warm inviting welcome from the hostess front desk. Lovely intimate bar--great infusions and creative recipes. Our server was attentive and the food was delicious. The lobster chicken and dumplings are a must! The General Manager was great- he visited with our table and was super nice as well. Tried the warm berry crisp with vanilla ice cream for dessert. All I can say is that I can't wait to return. Not a lot of restaurants in Orlando that hit it on all marks for food and service. This is a welcome addition to our community.
(5)
Chasten F.
The #1 worst restaurant experience I've ever had. Reservations for 8:30 weren't ready so we ordered a round at the bar. At 9 we inquired to be told the paid table wouldn't leave. At 9:15 we suggested they take care of the us given that we had reservations (which we shouldn't have needed to suggest). At 9:20 they brought a cold and dry lobster ravioli and we asked for another round of drinks. No drinks for 1/2 hour. At 9:45 they offered to seat us. We explained that we were ready to leave and asked to speak with the GM. Mark W, the GM, then argued with us about why we weren't taken care of even though something out of their control happened. This was an OpenTable reservation and the second we walked out, they canceled the reservation so we couldn't leave a review. Despite a very helpful wait staff, the GM was terrible. He could have saved it but his argumentative and defensive attitude forced us to leave.
(1)
Troy G.
Another amazing experience from Soco. Great neighborhood vibe with a sophisticated atmosphere. Bartenders were so incredibly patient and helpful. They tasted us on 3 different reds before we settled on a bottle of the Catena Cab. Good variety of wines without going to the land of ridiculousness. Scott, our server, was spot on...again! He took care of us the last time we visited. He's so knowledgeable, you'd think he created the very dishes he described. James Mann, the General Manager, was amazing. He greeted us in the lobby upon entry and saw us through our entire experience, checking on us and others appropriately. It's nice to see someone in control of that dining room. What a great addition to this operation! Between and lively bar scene, outstanding service (Scott), and a well managed front of the house (James); coupled with some of the best food downtown, Soco has earned a spot on my list of regular spots. I can't wait to return!
(5)
Chris B.
No draft beer, Really? All of your competition has draft beer. $12 cocktails that are essentially infused liqueurs or syrups? Where's the actual mixology/craftsmanship expected in this price range? The tartare left me tasting and breathing truffle oil for the next 24 hours. Everything seems poorly executed and pretentious with inflated prices due to the neighborhood and the atmosphere. After the novelty wears off, this place will need to either drop their prices or up their game or this will be another closed restaurant. There are too many other options downtown or in Winter Park with far a better product in the same price range.
(1)
Dayna H.
The decor and atmosphere of the place was inviting, but the food was a complete disappointment. Over-chefed and very heavy. The service was below average. Rigid policies of no substitutions, only eliminations. Not customer oriented. We were 4 people and the conclusion was unanimous. We won't be going back.
(2)
J P.
Very disappointed. Poor service and poor food. Had an 8pm res, not seated till 8.45. Steak was undercooked and chewy.
(1)
Brendan D.
New restaurants always have links but at the heart of it if you have good food and good service you can overlook a lot. Sadly for SoCo they have neither. Went the other night for dinner after hearing some good buzz and was treated really poorly. Ridiculous wait even with a reservation (Almost an hour and a half) and staff just shrugged and said nothing we can do. Do yourself a favor skip this one.
(1)
greg w.
Wonderful food and service. I have no clue on the drinks we had but they were strong and good. We made a reservation on a Friday night a weeks ago and we were actually late by a few minutes and they were so nice. The Manager came over to check on us a few times which was a really nice touch. Looking forward to trying brunch next weekend when I am in town.
(5)
Alex R.
My husband and a group of our friends made reservations for dinner at SoCo on New Year's Eve. My husband and I are both Southern on both sides of our families for many generations, so we were excited to try a Southern fusion restaurant a few blocks from our house. Sadly, our New Year's Eve dinner was a pricey disappointment. The beautifully designed restaurant had a warm and welcoming ambiance, and a thoughtful hostess at the front desk used "ma'am" and "sir" to make us feel right at home when we entered. We made reservations in advance, and we were seated upon entry without any wait at all. As we walked to our table, I did find it curious that many of the inside tables and all of the outside tables were empty... The person we spent the most time with from the restaurant was our waiter, and he lacked the same Southern hospitality as the hostess. He seemed so unhappy to be serving us that we all felt awkward asking him questions about the menu. Since we were first-time patrons, we expected him to be a bit more helpful and attentive. We ordered drinks first. I got the Watermelon Cooler which was very light and refreshing. Unfortunately, my cocktail was the highlight of my entire dining experience. One of our friends ordered a beer but was served something completely different. Our waiter was so brusque that we all felt uncomfortable pointing out the beer mistake to him. Two friends ordered the Fried Green Tomatoes as well as the Buttermilk Biscuits as appetizers for the table. The Fried Green Tomatoes arrived promptly and were delicious! For our main courses, we all salivated over the incredible-sounding menu options. The Carolina Fluke dish sounded so good with its pecan crust and lemon butter sauce, but after a few bites, I was disappointed by the complete lack of taste. "Bland" is the best word to describe my meal. My husband was similarly disappointed. He ordered steak and potatoes, a Southern staple. His Chicken Fried New York Strip Steak was so rare that it left large, soppy red puddles all over his plate. The garlic mashed potatoes were not seasoned, and my husband commented that I made much better mashed potatoes than the ones on his plate (!!!). Sadly, our friend with the wrong beer had the worst dining experience out of all of us. He ordered the pork chop, but his food was so undercooked that he could not finish it. Finally, the "appetizer" biscuits arrived with our main course, so we had to take them to go. As our group left, we began walking to our cars. One by one, we began complaining about our respective dishes. After getting so excited about the dining experience, and especially after paying so much money, we felt guilty complaining about the restaurant. By the time we got to our vehicles, however, we were all admitting we would never go back to SoCo. My husband and I only splurge $100 on dinner for very special occasions. We were expecting SoCo to be, at the very least, a yummy meal. Even if $100 is your typical date night price point, we can agree that this cost should include good food. Certainly a trendy restaurant is exciting, and it's fun to play with Southern dishes to transform them into something new and contemporary. That said, the food has to taste good. If an entire table leaves with complaints, it's time to reconsider what's happening in the kitchen. This morning, I texted all of my friends to warn them about my negative dining experience, and, as you can see, I just wrote my first Yelp review. SoCo is that bad. I wouldn't want anyone I care about to waste money at that place. Fortunately, Orlando does have many delicious restaurants, and if you're looking for Southern food in particular, I highly recommend that you check out Cask and Larder.
(2)
Joshua S.
Perfect date night... For a new place they really have it together. They did a complete renovation at this restaurant and a complete renovation on the food. Very well put food and wine menu. our server was very knowledgeable, and a great server as well as very southern. We got the duck and It was unreal(in an amazing way). French press coffee at the table and salted caramel ice made in house topped off the night. Definitely coming back
(4)
Jacqueline G.
This was absolutely the best dining experience i've ever had. Everything we tasted was exceptional and i personally loved the unique menu. I questioned at first would I like a "cauliflower steak" but when it came and I took my first bite, I was sold! If i lived in Orlando, i would be a regular - the food is exceptional.
(5)
Madai M.
Delicious. Service both at the bar and table was excellent. Will be back to try their brunch. Meatloaf with the lobster mashed potatoes was da bomb. As for a cocktail white julep all the way.
(4)
Jarah C.
Went with a group, had the pork belly sliders and dumplings. Both were amazing! Had the meatloaf with lobster mashed potatoes and andouille sausage gravy. Every item on the plate was awesome! For dessert, we sampled the sweet corn ice cream but I wound up choosing the chocolate cake with ganache crusted with potato chips on a bed of salted caramel, great sweet with salty combo! The watermelon cooler was the best drink. The best part was the service- Bryan was amazing!!! Go now!
(5)
Dee T.
Excellent menu, decor, staff. I'm very excited that this place opened. The atmosphere is wonderful and the food is even better. I recommend the chicken and dumpling small plate and potato chip crusted chocolate cake for dessert.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : No Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Brunch, Dinner Parking : Garage, Street Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Upscale Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Dogs Allowed : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Lauren Y.
Between the Dr. Phillips Center for Performing Arts, a handful of new restaurants and Project DTO, Downtown Orlando is undergoing a major (and much needed) transformation. Soco Restaurant in Thornton is the newest player to join the downtown revitalization featuring southern contemporary cuisine under Executive Chef Greg Richie. Soco recently added brunch, so naturally I had to try for myself! After my experience last Sunday, I officially have a new go-to brunch spot. Here's my top 10 reasons why Soco is worthy of your precious brunch time. Reservations. Imagine that, a brunch place that ACTUALLY reserves tables for parties. Live in this town long enough and you know to avoid Briarpatch and Keke's on the weekends. Sorry Winter Park, I'm avoiding your Sunday madness. $5 mimosas with real OJ and champagne. None of that gross orange syrup or Andre in your glass. Expansive outdoor patio space, hello cooler weather. Too hot? No worries, there's plenty of room inside. Jalapeño Jelly drizzled over Slow-Roasted Barbecue-Glazed Pork Belly Biscuits. Buttermilk melt-in-your mouth biscuits covered in juicy pork. The perfect dish when you can't decide on "lunch" or "breakfast" food for brunch. $20 mimosa pitchers. See point number two. Good for groups large and small. Brunching with your friends or enjoying a meal with your significant other? Soco's got you covered, no awkward or cramped seating arrangements here. With 11 main dishes to choose from, you're bound to have trouble deciding what to order. Next time we're going for the Korean-Style Fried Chicken. What's Korean style you ask? We haven't got a clue either, but we'll be sure to give a full tasting report when we order the dish! If you insist on eating healthy, try their mason jar of house-made granola and yogurt with local honey, dried cranberries, fresh fruit and pumpkin seeds. Still hungry? It's okay, you can order their two egg side. The indulgence season is officially here, so go ahead and order that Baked Apple-Stuffed Brioche French Toast with house marmalade, candied peanuts and whiskey syrup. Your New Year's resolution is months away anyways. Baked Cheddar Grits. 'Nuff said.
(4)Lindsey T.
I've heard and read mixed reviews about Soco since it opened and it was time to check it out for myself. Friendly staff greeted us and our reservations got us sat right away although the inside and patio were pretty empty. We both ordered a drink, mine an overpriced $12 cocktail that was just ok and too pricey for the taste and size. It was disappointing to see no draft beers available. Why on earth not? Due to the price of the entrees we skipped appetizers and went straight for main courses. I ordered the pork chop and my husband got the Cobia. Our meals came quickly from the kitchen which you could see into from the dining room which was nice. The first cut off my pork chop looked very pink but since the lighting was so dim I kept trying to examine it better by candlelight. It was in fact pink so I went deeper into the chop where things seemed to have been cooked a bit more thoroughly. The bites that weren't pink weren't bad, it just wasn't amazing, and for a splurge of $27 I want better than not bad. Brio's pork chops have much more flavor. My husband liked his fish dish but had the same feeling of "it's ok but not worth the price". I had seen some amazing looking desserts from my foodie friends on Instagram so I had to try the Chocolate Cake with potato chips, peanut brittle and salted caramel. This treat was amazing and worth every penny. Due to pricing this normally would be a special occasion restaurant for me, but due to quality i probably wouldn't want to splurge here. There are better places in Orlando to drop $100 at not walk away feeling "meh". I will let the fancy pants downtown people have this one and take my money elsewhere. This will strictly be a dessert destination for me in the future.
(3)Nick P.
Soco located on the corner of central blvd and summerlin Ave down town Orlando, offers an elegant yet casual dining experience that leaves you wanting more. I've tried six different dishes from their menu not including appetizers and it's all satisfying. I've yet to try the dessert menu; frankly I'm not one that has a sweet tooth. Delicious! Support your local establishments.
(4)Mia P.
Enjoyed this high brow southern comfort cuisine. The place is beautiful and I love that you can see the whole kitchen from the main dining room. Soco Thornton Park has seating in the main dining area and a big bar area to dine as well. The atmosphere is beautiful and so warm, very inviting. As for the food, I really liked the southern biscuits, they have a very old south baking soda-y flavor. For entrées I had the small plates of shrimp & grits and chicken with lobster dumplings. Both small plates were nice, but I didn't realize I had accidentally ordered two types of ravioli. The "dumplings" in the chicken and lobster dumplings were essentially just like ravioli. I enjoyed the shrimp & grits the most and the presentation was detailed and pretty. Honestly, I would have enjoyed a little more shrimp as just one shrimp was really not enough with the amount of the ravioli and grits. The velouté sauce over the grits was fantastic. The small plate of chicken and lobster dumplings was beautifully plated as well, but probably would not order it again. It was overwhelmingly sauced and too many soybeans with soy butter. The soy dominated the flavor of the dish. I kept tasting something bitter in the sauce, I think it was the soy butter, and the "dumplings" didn't have any lobster flavor to me at all. The mushrooms were the best part of this dish for me. As for what the restaurant is doing and their different menu selections, I think they do have some great items on the menu. I ordered my dishes too hastily. I was able to sample the chef's feature of the evening, the Korean style fried chicken. That was wonderful. The fried chicken had a nice balance of sweet-salty and some heat in the sauce. For dessert I tried the house made "moon pie" with RC Cola reduction sauce. The appearance of this pie was simply adorable. The moon pie was a slice of meringue topped chocolate pie with a mini moon pie stuck in the meringue and RC Cola reduction sauce drizzled on the plate and decorated with a mini chocolate soda bottle. It was just so cute. The pie filling was soft, deeply chocolaty, and it had a velvety texture. Umm! The moon pie crust was really hard though, I could barely cut through the crust with the dessert spoon. No big deal since I liked the flavor of the moon pie but the crust was a mystery, it was too thick and tough. I'll definitely try Soco Thorton Park again, they get lots of thumbs up for great atmosphere and great ideas on innovative menu items. I was sort of "eh" about what I ordered last night, but I would love to go back for a brunch or different dinner selection. If you're going on a date or celebrating a special occasion this is a perfect place for great atmosphere. The menu is a bit on the pricey side, but I enjoyed the innovative dishes and the wonderful atmosphere.
(3)Stacy E.
Tried SoCo for the first time Friday night. Our waiter was great and knowledgable about menu items. I tried the special which was scallops and okra on top of parmesan cheese grits. It was very good. I would go back more frequently but the prices are steep. We were there during Happy Hour but drink specials only apply if you are seated at the bar. Overall $29 for my meal, $11 appetizer, $18 for two small glasses of Reisling plus tip. Still undecided if the prices are worth a return visit.
(3)Lauren H.
5 stars for ambiance, 4 stars for food, and 5 for the outstanding service. My boyfriend and I went on a Friday night and surprisingly it wasn't too busy. We sat outside and their heaters kept us pretty comfortable, as it was cold as balls. I was a fan of their music selection. Mumford and Sons, Pearl Jam, Creedence Clearwater. If you're not into that, don't worry, it's not loud at all. It took ten minutes for a server to even notice our presence, but once he did, the first round of drinks were on the house, and we were pampered for the rest of the evening. We ordered a bunch of small plates. Some were amazing such as the duck confit and boiled peanuts, the pork belly biscuits, and the mac and cheese, but unfortunately, even though the flavors were great, the chicharrones with my fried oysters were stale, and the shrimp and grits ravioli was a bit rubbery. The portions are very small and even though the bourbon banana pudding was outstanding, it really needs to come with more waffles. I will definitely be back, especially to check out happy hour and brunch.
(5)Rashmi P.
Being a staunch advocate of Eat Local - Be Local - I couldn't be more pleased about the opening of the new Southern restaurant Soco by the culinary brilliant - Executive Chef Greg Richie. Renowned as the man who fronted Orlando restaurants for celebrity chefs Emeril Lagasse and Roy Yamaguchi, graduate of the acclaimed Johnson and Wales University in Charleston, Executive Chef/Partner Greg Richie returns to his Southern roots with a contemporary interpretation of one of America's classic cuisines at Soco Thornton Park. From seriously sinful Slow-Roasted Barbecue-Glazed Pork Belly Biscuits to Potato Chip Crusted Chocolate Cake, Chef Richie has transformed downtown Orlando as one of the hottest spots in Central Florida. Armed with an extensive selection of "By The Bottle" beers catches the eye alongside a list of handcrafted cocktails, also designed by Chef Richie, including Honey Rye Sour, White Julep and Grown-Up Cherry Cola. One can't help but admire Chef Richie's attention to detail and focus on making Soco an all-encompassing delightful dining experience. Did I mention the Bar Plates? Crispy Macaroni Croquettes with heirloom tomato sauce; House-Blend Angus Beef Burger, aged white cheddar, red onion-bacon marmalade, house-made smoked ketchup and pickles on a brioche bun served with crispy onion rings and Meatloaf-Stuffed Bell Pepper Poppers with pimento mornay. Like me if you enjoy variety, the 'Small Plates' section has some scrumptious treats for you. The star of the evening incontestably were the Soco-Style "Chicken and Dumplings", carved chicken breast, lobster dumpling, local mushrooms, edamame and soy butter. Melting in your mouth, perfectly cooked dumpling sitting in a bed of silky butter sauce - this dish is beyond perfection!! We also got to sample Hand-Made Canaveral "Shrimp and Grits" Ravioli, Crab-Stuffed Deviled Duck Eggs, and Cassoulet of Duck Confit and Boiled Peanuts. Chef Richie demonstrates his culinary talents exquisitely with the "Main" and "Feature" dishes - Lake Meadow Naturals Korean-Style Fried Chicken, pickled radishes, sweet and spicy dipping sauce; Grilled Meatloaf on Lobster Mashed Potatoes, three-meat blend, crispy onion rings, smoked vidalia and andouille sausage gravy; Chicken Fried New York Strip with Garlic Mashed Potatoes, white truffle pepper gravy. A dish exclusively catered for Vegetarians - Chicken-Fried" Cauliflower Steak, asparagus, artichoke, garlic mashed potatoes and vine ripe tomato gravy - AMA-zing! Seafood lovers are in for a treat - Hot Smoked Florida Cobia with butter milk potato cake, black eyed tomato salsa, Pecan Crusted Carolina Fluke with Carolina gold rice, Canaveral shrimp hush puppies, and Cast Iron Seared Artic Char with red mule grits, swiss chards, oyster mushrooms, smoked ham broth. Are you drooling yet? The taste of the South reigns with home-style dessert offerings of Bourbon Banana Pudding, vanilla wafer waffle, caramelized banana; House-Made "Moon Pie", RC® Cola vanilla float; and Warm Apple and Oatmeal Spice Cake, coconut, pink peppercorn whiskey syrup, and Bourbon Banana Pudding with vanilla wafer waffle, caramelized banana, toasted meringue. Foodies who relish the savory-sweet play in desserts can savor each bite of the Potato Chip Crusted Chocolate Cake. The hip ambiance, beautiful people suavely dressed, sunny patio, ideal location, and deliciously decadent food earns Soco as THE 'Hot Spot'. Drop in for brunch after a refreshing stroll around the Park or make reservations for a romantic night out. Whether it is a celebration or "just because" - there are plenty of reasons for Soco to adorn your MUST-dining list and earn the accolades of being your TO-GO neighborhood hangout.
(4)Matt Z.
Overall excellent meal, not the best value but I guess you pay for what you get. Started out with gin and juice and wife had some watermelon infused drink. Both were good but I wouldn't order again given the price. We then had the truffle infused steak tartar with quail egg which was good, not excellent and really no hint of truffle either of us could taste. On to the fried green tomato salad which was excellent and best value of the night. On to entrees. My wife had surf and turf special which was a waygu rib eye with diver scallops. The 3 small scallops were good. The rib eye was ordered med rare and came out med to med well. They happily took the plate back and brought out a piece of steak on a bare plate which was cooked right. Problem is all the sides on the other plate were thrown out and theu brought the steak with nothing else on the plate. Very poor in my opinion for a $36 dish. I got the pecan crusted fluke which was in the top 3 pieces of fish I have ever eaten. Delicious. I would go back just to get this fish again. It was over a Carolina rice and amazing lemon sauce. The server was top notch and besides what I consider a kitchen snafu with the steak, the service was great. I was a little surprised that we didn't get offer desert (we were both stuffed so probably wouldn't have gotten anyway, but was curious what they had). Add 2 glasses of wine and the bill with tip was well over$150. Would go back for a special occasion.
(4)Frances F.
it's the "New Hue"! I don't think I'll ever call it anything else. I loved my dinner. I had the chicken fried New York strip steak. I'm not familiar with Southern food all too much but I was expecting like a breaded steak. I received a regular steak that was delicious. Maybe there was some light breading that I missed? It was dark. My plate came with these balsamic coated brussels sprouts that were so good I went out and purchased my own to replicate at home the next day. Mine weren't as good :-/ For $12 my drink was perfect. I only needed one. I recommend the Honey Rye Sour. Loved it. I sat outside on a cold night and was convinced by the servers to order the warm apple and oatmeal spice cake. There was whiskey or something on the plate. I recommend everyone order this desert now that the winter's here for a few weeks. The servers were somewhat annoying. I had one woman there in training and a regular server. Every 4 minutes either one of them would come up and ask how we were doing and how we liked things. I was trying to dominate a conversation so I felt it was annoying. Hopefully they straightened that out.
(4)Charlotte M.
When first veiwing the menu, I had no clue what anything was on it , nor did my friend. She ask many questions of the server and he happily explained everything to us, in which it sounded good, so we ordered. It was better than good. It was great! Each course served was amazing, and as I finished one, I could not wait to get the next one. I never ever take home left overs....never! I did this night. It was to good to let one bight go to waste! The service was amazing as well, and I reccomend this establishment to anyone who is looking for amazing food, impeccable service, and a wonderful atmosphere!
(5)Kevin C.
The food is really good here albeit a little pricey. I came here for brunch one Sunday morning, and I didn't have a problem getting a seat. The place is pretty haughty with the host and presumed manager in a suit and I felt pretty classless in my shorts and soccer jersey. This is definitely one of the more expensive brunch places, but the food was great. I got the cheapest thing on the menu which was pork belly and biscuits and gravy for $11. The pork belly was really tender the biscuits were deliciously fattening. My girlfriend got the johnny cakes with crab meat, which also was quite good. The servers were very friendly and were happy to accomadate our requests to sit outside and had us moved when we complained about the sun. I'd come back but will just remember to bring a thick wallet.
(4)Jo A.
So disappointing. We were hoping for something comparable to K given the descriptions and price point. The shrimp and grits ravioli was under cooked, not al dente, with hard edges and chewy center. The manager did take it off the bill. He also said he appreciated the honesty. My cobia was fine the first few bites but as I made my way was a bit hardened about the exterior as if it had been plated for awhile. The center was slightly over cooked. The green beans were average but black eyed peas with potato cake fine. My husband's fried green tomato salad was fine. On the positive side the alcoholic beverage selection was good, as was the service.
(3)Jessica V.
Well, I hate to say it, but I wasn't all that impressed with brunch at Soco. Sure they have $10 AYCD mimosas, which is a steal, but I felt like the food fell short. We ordered the pork belly biscuits to start, followed by lobster benedict (Cumberbatch, throw him on an English muffin and I will be satisfied for DAYS... TMI? I digress..), and the duck confit potato cakes. The pork belly biscuits were yummy, no complaints there (except for the Yelp photos tricking me into thinking they were bigger than they actually are, but that's on you sneaky Yelpers, not Soco). Now, the two entrees sound excitingly delicious, right? But unfortunately, they were just OK. Sure the hollandaise was rich and creamy, but hollandaise is meant to be rich and creamy. Besides that, it was normal eggs benedict with a few baby chunks of lobster strewn about. The duck confit potato cakes were very well prepared, beautifully crisp on the outside and warm on the inside, topped with poached eggs, arugula, and a red sauce. The red sauce on top and the arugula, unfortunately, masked any taste from the cakes and even when eaten alone, the potato cakes lacked in flavor. I still look forward to trying Soco for dinner sometime, but might not be inclined to make it there for brunch.
(3)Shane H.
I really wanted to love this place since it is right in the heart of my neighborhood. However my first visit was underwhelming at best. I ordered the Carolina Fluke while my dinner partner ordered the Korean Style Fried Chicken. One mean was good the other was very disappointing. Service at SOCO is decent and the staff is very professional even if they did disappear once they could hear/tell how disappointed we were with one of the meals. The facility is nice and very cozy and the outdoor patio is great. So the food. The Carolina Fluke was perfectly cooked and full of flavor. The rice accompaniment was outstanding and the sauce was top notch. The okra was a bit underdone and not appetizing at all. Over all this dish was a solid 4. The Korean Style Fried Chicken was the embodiment of overpriced disappointment. The plate is nothing more than chicken on a plate. There was some kind of vegetable with it but it was raw and inedible. The chicken itself was overdone and lacked flavor of any kind. There was supposed to be some sort of "sauce" that made it "Korean" but there was nothing more than a stain on the plate. The chicken being overdone might be excusable at IHOP but not in a "Chef-centric" restaurant. How did it leave the kitchen in such a dry desiccated state? The Korean chicken was over a big disappointment and deserved only a single star. Overall the food is incredibly overpriced considering the portions and unpredictable quality. This is a great "try it one time" type of place but you would not want to make this your regular night out. I think this place could do well but they really need to pay more attention to the food before it leaves the kitchen. Overdone chicken and a lack of sauce are inexcusable at these prices.
(3)Katherine N.
SoCo stands for Southern Contemporary. It is a new restaurant in Thornton Park that has been opened since September 24, 2014 and is home to Executive Chef Greg Richie. Working with Executive Chef Greg Richie is an amazingly sweet and upbeat staff. If you fancy a talk during your visit, ask for Felicia who is full of smiles and sweetness ready to make suggestions for your meal! Felicia loves the menu at SoCo and isn't afraid to speak her mind of favorites. Crab-Stuffed Deviled Duck Eggs contains crisp bacon, lemon and truffle. It was a delightfully creamy and fresh appetizer. The Slow-Roasted Barbecue-Glazed Pork Belly Biscuits was served with Jalapeño jelly and chow-chow. The flavors were delicious but the Barbeque glaze could be minimized as it created an overpowering of sweetness at the end. The slow-roasted pork seemed to be a little rushed/cooked too long as it was a little dry and tough. The biscuit itself was thick, crunchy and honey sweet. Soco-Style "Chicken and Dumplings" are lobster dumplings topped with carved chicken breast, local mushrooms, edamame, and soy butter. When the dumpling is split in two, half was eaten with the mushroom and the other half without. The dumpling was sweet and had a cream cheese texture without the mushroom, as the mushroom would add an overpowering saltiness that covers up other tastes of the dumplings. My advice is to cut the mushroom into smaller pieces and distribute it throughout each bite of chicken and dumplings. The Cornmeal Crisped Oysters were served on pieces of chicharrones (pork grinds) with pickled green tomato relish and herb cream. The oyster melts in your mouth once you get past its crispy fried cornmeal covering and leaves an ocean aftertaste. SoCo is also known for their wines and whiskey cocktails, such as the Manhattan-ish and White Julep. Last, but not least, is the dessert we had to try before parting ways with SoCo. House-Made "Moon Pie" is a pie version on moon-pies served with a really sweet RC® Cola Vanilla Ice Cream Float. It contains rich dark chocolate ganache and a thick marshmallow whipped topping. The crust falls apart into a sandy texture in your mouth and provides a lovely vanilla taste. With or without the RC® Cola Vanilla Ice Cream Float sauce, it is quite delicious! For this visit, my favorite dishes were the Soco-Style "Chicken and Dumplings" and House-Made "Moon Pie". Although the food at SoCo was delicious during our visit, I do believe that it's not worth the prices that SoCo offers on their menu unless they plan on wowing us all with their other dishes. Although the food is delicious, improvements can be made here and there to make it worth the prices they are selling their dishes for on the menu.
(3)John A.
Had to see how the 2015 favorite restaurant and chef was. Well it took over where Hue used to be. Ok we had a great experience here. The food was outstanding. I started off with a drink called the water cooler, it was nice and refreshing. For my app I had the slow roasted BBQ glazed pork belly biscuits, the flavor was so good. My sis got the grilled watermelon which she loved. Then I got the baby romaine lettuce with soft fried egg, the egg made the salad, it was like a Scottish egg, great flavor. My sis got the spinach salad which did have good flavor too but I preferred mine. Now onto the entrees, I got the country fried ny strip, the steak was cook right the batter tasted good and the gravy had great flavor. My sis got the chicken and dumplings and they was awesome and she got the diver scallop crudo, the scallops came out sliced thin and she loved it. For desert we shared the potato chip crusted chocolate cake, it had Carmel & broken up pieces of peanut brittle. The cake was outstanding, sweet and salty. The service was very good also attentive. This is deserve for both awards.
(5)Rose A.
What a great new addition to the Thornton Park neighborhood!!! Felicia was our server. She was EXCELLENT! The food was outstanding. We had the chicken and dumpling appetizer which was rich, flavorful, and well balanced. The korean fried chicken was crispy and had a lot of flavor. The stand out dish was the meatloaf. Definitely going to order that again when in need for some comfort food!!! We didn't order dessert but our server kindly brought us a complimentary banana pudding which was great. Overall I was very impressed and will definitely be back!!!
(5)Kris L.
Soco is definitely worth a try. The menu is all about "southern comfort" food with a twist. The night that I went, the "twist" was all about Asian influence. I'm not sure if that is always the case, though, because the menu likely changes. I had the cobia with a potato cake and black-eyed peas, it was really delicious! The wine selection was pretty nice as well. For dessert, I had a rich chocolate cake with a potato chip garnish. It sounds strange but it is probably the best dessert I have ever had. The best part about my Soco experience was the service, though. The staff went out of their way to make sure our group was taken care of and everyone was really friendly. To me, service and atmosphere are just as important as the food because my fiance and I like to cook at home. If you are not familiar with Orlando, Soco is also located in a great part of downtown for an after-dinner walk.
(4)Ho L.
My first visit was during their very first Sunday Brunch. At 11:30am, I was expecting it to be jam-packed as most places usually are, but they weren't quite yet. We were seated quickly, and I noticed that there was plenty of seating inside and out. By the time we left around 12:45, things had picked up immensely, and there was now a wait. While I always appreciate high quality, locally sourced food, pricing sometimes becomes an issue. SoCo edges a little high, but not terribly so. It was $15 for a delicious burger, or about $20 for other entrees. The deal of the day is the $20 mimosa pitcher, which isn't light on the champagne, and uses real (fresh squeezed?) OJ with pulp. The decor is very nice, service is fast and friendly, and we left well-fed and watered for right around $30.
(4)Tiffany F.
I came here because it had a pretty good rating. I was highly disappointed. I made reservations and was sat immediately, which I appreciated. I was debriefed about the menu and proceeded to order. This is were things started to decline. I ordered dumplings as soon as I got here and an additional pork belly appetizer later. I got the pork belly promptly but it took a while for the dumplings. When we finally got the dumplings they apologized for the wait and offered to comp it. Then I saw several other people that were seated after me got their food before I did. When I inquired on the ETA I was told they waited to put my order in after they delivered the appetizer. It took about 45 min to get my food. When I got it, it was cold. My experience was subpar. I don't think I would return based on my level of service.
(3)Jenn Z.
Best martini I've had in a while; love the bar scene and bar snacks menu, and the bartender was terrific. Worth it just to go back and hang out at the bar all night. My husband has declared this place is his new favorite. We enjoyed the pork belly biscuits, the chicken & dumplings appetizer and the corn bisque. All incredibly delicious. His smoked cobia was phenomenal, my vegetarian dish, the cauliflower steak, was good, a little tough to cut and undercooked, could've been better. Loved the service, attention to detail. Our friends had the meat loaf, and gave it rave reviews. Looked pretty tasty. Can't wait to go back and try more, and enjoy some beautiful outdoor dining when things cool off in the fall.
(4)Chris R.
This place is trying too hard. We made a reservation for a holiday party in December 2014, so they were still new, but it was all I needed to know that I don't need to go back. The food was average and the menu was reaching. It wants to be cool and creative, but just wasn't that good and not worth the price. The ambiance is good so go for a light meal and drinks, but don't expect much more than that.
(3)Dominic B.
So the bar menu is pretty good. Particularly the burger with the onion marmalade which is a messy stuff in your face hole delight. Oh dear! My last visit was a few weeks ago and they still didn't have any happy hour drink specials and hope they do add some soon because this could be a regular after-work spot if so (perhaps they have - will try and make it over tomorrow to check). The grown up cherry coke is still incredibly delish but at $8 I can't really go as crazy with them as I want and still pay my mortgage. :) Also tried their brunch. It was fun, and very tasty. Missing element was the option for unlimited mimosas (seems to be all the rage these days). But the food was super solid and on point. Not inexpensive by any means, but you do get a great meal out of it. Still solid and still yummy - glad to see this place finding its way in this finicky 'hood!
(4)Crystal R.
I definitely thought this place was an excellent spin on southern food. For an appetizer I got the fried oysters which were flavorful. For my main dish I had the meat loaf over lobster mashed potatoes which was simply amazing. Oh and For dessert the potato crusted chocolate chip cake was a unique delight. Of course this restaurant is located in the absolutely adorable Thornton Park.
(4)Samuel P.
Atmosphere was great and decor was nice with a rustic feel! We really wanted to try their "Chicken and Dumplings" but they ran out of product... Our server (John D.) was attentive but disappeared for long periods, he forgot one of our guests Pinot Noir, could also pitch and suggest more items, we continued to ask what was a good suggestion. I ordered the "Truffle Infused Steak Skirt TarTare" it was raw meat topped with a Quail Egg. We sent it back due to it being bland and rather "tasteless". Replaced the small plate with their "Pork Belly Biscuits" which had a nice Jalapeño Jelly. Also ordered the side "Macaroni, Bacon + Three Cheese Cassoulet" one of our favorites, very flavorful! (John D) did a great job of clearing our plates, and suggested a great dessert. The "Potato Chip Crusted Chocolate Cake" was rich. Sweet + salty tasting notes which the Salted Caramel glaze added that extra touch. Overall, was an okay first experience, but the items seemed overpriced.
(2)Sara P.
I am going to update my review as I was impressed the first time I went and gave a 4 star but this time I was really really impressed so it gets a 5! First off the servers and hosts are fantastic. We had a party of 7 and were seated right away and didn't have empty water glasses all night :) 5 stars for creativity because who on earth would have thought a cauliflower steak with a light "chicken fried" bread coating would be so good! I'm not vegan but as I stick by the motto "I'm on a diet" so this was a great lighter option. The outside breading was super light and it came with a small portion of mashed potatoes and asparagus. Totally delicious. I can't wait to go back. Such a nice ambience as well.
(5)Jill J.
i live ON central, very close to this place...and i have not bothered going. just wasn't dying to get in the door. the interior is quite lovely, and i like how the space is being used compared to when it was hue. we sat in the bar area and our server was knowledgable and atttentive...no complaints about service. started with the crispy oysters...and they were the best thing we ordered. the spinach salad was also really great, loved the preserved lemon vinaigrette. the cobia was assessed as decent...but not the freshest. maybe not worth the $26. they were out of a sweet potato gnocchi appetizer that i was keen to get, so i got the shrimp and grits ravoli instead. and it sucked to get the worst item i ordered LAST. the server warned me that the plate was very hot...the food ON it was room temp-ish. whatever wrappers they used on the "ravoli" had really hard edges, like they were stale. overall, i just expected more after the rest of the food had been on point. my main assessment...and what i said as soon as i heard about this concept is this-- "southern contemporary cuisine" isn't NEW, and it isn't even NOW...it's passé, as it is already being done, and being done better, at other spots in town. this place is no cask and larder. and i will leave it at that.
(3)Barry C.
So...after hearing so much about the "celebrity" chef here and just how great of job he was doing in the old Hue location we just had to try it. We also overheard a group of people sitting next to us at dinner(at a different restaurant the night before) talking about how great it was...SOLD! Can't wait to try this amazing new place! First we walk in and everything seems cool. We ask to be seated outside since it was so nice outside. The first table they sat us was tilted way far too the point where I was sitting back looking up at Amanda across the table from me. Some parts of the outdoor seating area out front are extremely unleveled. No big deal. We asked our server to move and from the look on his face you would think I just told him to go F*** himself. He moves us and then takes our drink order. We decide to go with a couple "craft" cocktails. They were expensive as hell for the small amount you get but maybe that was better because they were so average it isn't funny. We ordered some dishes sliders, oysters, deviled eggs....oh my god those eggs...worst thing we have ever eaten anywhere. To start off they were 4 deviled eggs...that means 2 hardboiled eggs...for 12 dollars!! When we ordered them and they arrived we thought they looked good, and they had better for that price! They were appalling, with such a mixture that could only be executed by the most inexperienced chef or chefs. The yolk filling had the texture of glue, so over mixed and destroyed. When you put so much crap onto something so friggin simple you destroy rather than elevate the dish. Seriously we gagged at the taste of them. A word of advice, if you love deviled eggs like we do, go to The Rusty Spoon and get theirs as they are the best we have had and you get 6 for 6 dollars! The other plates were just okay. The sliders were pretty descent but dry and with the supposedly fancy little squiggly line of sauce that comes on the plate it fell way short of acceptable. I mean if you want to give such a small amount of sauce maybe try to not overcook the protein inside of the already dry buns. The oysters were the only really good thing that made sense. We would have had another expensive ass cocktail but our server had not been back since dropping off all the plates at once. Found out he was out back somewhere smoking cigarettes. When he finally returned we asked for our check because we were DONE! So for what amounted to one great plate and crappy to sub par everything else we around 70 dollars!!! You WILL NOT be seeing us there ever again. Ya know, sometimes when enough people tell you something is true, even though it is not, it kinda becomes the truth. In this case all the good things I have heard about this place was a big lie. Literally one of the worst dining experiences we have ever had anywhere. I only gave 2 stars because there was one perfect dish. Capitalize on those so called "foodies" and their lack of understanding of food all around...hopefully they will keep you in business.
(2)Simon A.
First Visit To This Downtown Orlando Dining Establishment Got A New Leader In the Quest For Best French Toast In The OR Maybe Even On the Planet :) Very Nice Outing With Sunday Breakfast Crew & I Thoroughly Enjoyed Every Last Bit & Bite of Toast & Bacon On A Gorgeous Sunday Funday at Soco's. Plenty of Other Interesting & Unique Meal Options & Food Combinations To Satisfy Those Who Like Food Adventures
(4)tiffany w.
I don't like to go to new restaurants until they have been open a few months. I was lured in by the menu and look of the place. I was a bit worried after reading several of the 1 star reviews, but i decided to give it a try. I took a foodie friend out for dinner. We made reservations and were sat at a nice table outside. The server was sweet, but I really hate it when I am seated and within 1 minute the server asked me what I want to drink. Give me a second to breathe. I was a bit thrown by the prices, so I tried to be strategic. I ordered a reasonably priced Pinot Noir and only 1 entree, The Meatloaf with lobster mashed potatoes. It took over 30 minutes to receive our food. The server kept coming back to apologize. When I finally received my food, the plate was hot, but the food was just warm. The meatloaf was good, not great. My friend ordered several small plates and our server kept coming by trying to take her food before she was done. I have worked in fine dining and I understand when to leave your customers alone. The ambiance is very nice. I was ready to go before dessert. I would come back and try it again, but I really think it is way overpriced.
(3)Heidi S.
I ate here last night for the first time and was really impressed! First, the service is on point. Definitely fine dining level. The staff is friendly, accommodating and classy. I liked the wine list. I didn't have a cocktail, but they looked great. Would love to see another rum based drink on the list. I had the pickled pear salad and it was really good. My friend had the fried green tomato salad and it was awesome. I'd order that next time. The fluke entree was amazing!!! The fish is like and flakey and the whole dish was so flavorful. The crispy okra on top were perfect. Would definitely order this again. Clean plate club! The biscuits were huge! They were so fluffy and delicious. Do yourself a favor and forget about all the carbs and eat one...or two! I didn't have dessert, but I wanted to try them all. The potato chip crusted chocolate cake, the oatmeal spice cake and the banana pudding all sounded amazing. Next time!
(5)Janice W.
Our waiter Bryan was amazing! He knew the history and menu like no other! Came with a group for dinner. We got the pork biscuit and the chicken & dumpling small plates; they were amazing! I'd recommend them. I got the Hot Smoked Florida Cobia, with Buttermilk Potato Cake and Black-Eyed Pea Tomato Salsa. It was awesome. The potato cake was great, but beware that if you leave the fish on top it will get soggy quickly. I had the sweet corn icecream for dessert and our waiter brought us all complimentary Prosecco and it paired perfectly! I'd highly recommend! Pricey when you want to try everything, but well worth it.
(5)Sandino N.
2 words: decadent desserts. Those were the highlights of a dinner at Soco. Yes the ambiance was great as were dinner and drinks, but if you try anything it's gotta be dessert! After our Sales kickoff the Orlando locals took us here. Bit of a hassle accommodating 12 on the outside patio but the staff did its best (and we gave late notice in their defense). If you sit outside and it's cold be sure to have the fan turned off. Wine menu was solid with exquisite Pinot Noir selection. I also had a tequila cocktail while my buddy had one of those Manhattans with single large ice cube. He's so trendy and a bit metro, but apparently it doesn't crimp his game so kudos to you homie! Anyhow, we split 3 plates: Meatloaf on Lobster mashed potatoes, truffle flavored Flatiron steak and a seared fish of some kind. All pretty solid, tasty and reasonably priced. Not spectacular. But not horrible. Then lo and behold, our colleague rattles off 5 desserts for everyone to share! Crikey! I don't remember eating them all cuz I was stuffed. What stood out though: Nilla Wafers in Banana Meringue pudding. Took me back to my childhood. Scrumptious. Also the Apple cake tasted almost like a carrot cake, which I dig. And the brownie cheesecake was decadent, to use that adjective again. Top everything off with an Irish coffee and I'd say Soco's was a great intro to the local, trendy Winterpark eating scene! Give it a try too!
(4)Rebecca H.
Ehhhhhh... I had heard some good things, and was excited about the prospect of a modern southern take right here in orlando. I gotta call it right now though, this did not live up to my previous experiences with this style cuisine in Atlanta, savannah, Dallas, or Nashville, etc. I got the pork belly biscuits with a side of grits and to drink the gin and juice. Overall: not worth the $$$. The drink was too expensive for what you got, give me a regular gin and tonic any day for 4 dollars less and I am much happier than I was with it. The biscuits were burnt, I mean noticeably burnt on my biscuit dish which was a bust, but I could see where it could be good if not overcooked (I liked the jalepeno jelly but the homemade bbq sauce wasn't my fave). The grits were covered with way too many crumbles. The crumbles had no flavor (I think they were supposed to be flavored) and just added a messy crumbly texture. Maybe if there were less it would've been better but to spend that much on bread crumbs on top of mediocre grits was frustrating. I wanna say I want try it again because I love haute southern cuisine but I don't know if I can for that price. All that being said my husband enjoyed his meat loaf over lobster mashed potatoes and the bite I had was better than my choices. Additionally we got the small plate of chicken and dumplings as our app and that was pretty good. Teeny tiny but delicious, and not your average chicken and dumplings.
(2)Melissa d.
Reminded me of Highball and Harvest. However, not as great as H&H. The steak I ordered was a little too sweet. The cocktails were great, however and the sides/appetizers were also really delicious. I think this place is on par with restaurants like Prato, Cask and Larder, Ravenous Pig... I just wish that their chairs were a little bit more comfortable. They sat my husband and I at a weirdly small table, with no comfortable backs. I thought this was strange since I'm usually not bothered by stuff like that, but it was annoying in a restaurant of this caliber. My husband and I didn't want to linger here- we wanted to eat and go. Once, again weird... That's all I can say about that. Good food. Maybe I'll sit outside next time.
(3)Catherine C.
Okay food but the kitchen and bar need work. We had to wait over an hour for our entrees. We also waited for a long time for any speciality drink but when they arrived they were good. The wine glasses smelled horrible like a wet dog our poor waiter had to go rinse out the glasses and wipe them down so the wine would taste right. Our friends who ordered the chicken fried NY steak were truly disappointed. Undercooked the first time and was sent back. When they came back they weren't even what was ordered. The "chicken fried" portion of the meal was gone?? Just a NY steak. Oh well - one was cooked fine and the other was still undercooked and cold inside so she just ate the potatoes. The restaurant did comp her meal and drinks but she left hungry.... The rest of us thought the food was good but not memorable. Beautiful and elegant interior, waiter was attentive, the manager tried to follow up several times but in the end we will not be back.
(2)Rob S.
If you're looking for an upscale yet casual white collar scene in Thornton Park with more of a 30's plus feel, then check out SoCo. Very cozy bar area and great outside seating. Superb service from wait staff too!
(4)Andrew K.
SoCo was a great place for brunch! It was a beautiful day in Orlando, so we opted to sit outside on the patio with a pitcher of Mimosas...and a pitcher of their lemonade cocktail. It was so nice to be able to sip cocktails on a sunny morning and watch all of the people of Thornton Park go by. For breakfast, I had the biscuits and gravy, and I added an egg to be put on top :-) It was delicious. I would definitely come back again for brunch. It is a little pricey...but the food, drinks, and atmosphere were definitely worth it!
(4)Janett F.
Our party had all of the appetizers. You can't go wrong ordering any of them. Buttermilk biscuits, chicken fried cauliflower steak, Chicken fried New York Strip, Hanger Steak with molasses glaze, Korean style fried chicken - yumyum!!!!
(5)Natalie W.
My boyfriend and I loved going to this location when it was Hue. We were sad when Hue closed but excited when we saw something new and interesting open up. It did not disappoint! Food was excellent, service terrific as well. Very attentive. Excellent cocktails as well. The patio is great, although slightly crowded especially compared to how it used to be. The surrounding area is great as well so that makes for a more pleasant patio experience as well. The host and wait staff was great. Definitely will be returning.
(5)Jamie V.
I'm not one for home style cooking, but this place was AMAZING. From the cherry coke cocktail to the dumpling appetizer and meatloaf entree, this was place was delicious. I barely event got to eat my meatloaf because everyone's forks were in my plate! Our waiter was informative and helpful when other guests had questions. Definitely will be back!
(5)Chris D.
This is my first review... But I am still thinking about the meal I had 5 nights ago, so I thought a review was warranted! We were quickly seated in the bar area (which is what we prefer!) we sat at a high-top with our fantastic server Rebeca. She was so amazing!!! Her recommendations were spot on, she let us taste wines and she had an amazing personality. All of the food was to.die.for. We were all over the place on the menu-we had the meatloaf (the potatoes!!!), the fried green tomato salad (awesome!), the chicken & dumplings (devine) and turnip soup (truffle oil!!) But then our server said our chef also does dessert and does not want people to leave disappointed.... She suggested the chocolate cake with potato chips, peanut brittle, and salted Carmel sauce. Omg! Heaven on a plate-I'm very particular about dessert but this was salty, sweet and decadent all at the same time. Needless to say, we will be back - I can't wait to taste their brunch. SoCo is a taste of the south with the contemporary feel of NYC. Please don't swarm this place, we want our seat back in the bar!!
(5)Robin S.
This place was a major disappointment. My husband and I made a reservation on a Saturday night at 7:30 and were looking forward to trying a new place. We sat on the patio, which is very nice. The decor on the inside is also pretty great. They've done a nice job of remodeling and making it into a trendy scene. But that's all that I can say was great about it. The service was awful. It took 15-20 minutes to get two glasses of wine after ordering our first round and the same happened with our wine and beer for the second round. The food is good, but not great...especially when you consider the price they are charging for tiny portions. $11 for two biscuits with pork belly barely bigger than a poker chip, $10 for a peach salad with 3 small slices of peach and $8 for less than a cup of mac and cheese. Our waitress had no suggestions on what to order. We ordered the steak but she didn't have any steak knives...was going to "have to go dig around in the back to find some". And when I asked about our second round of drinks being so delayed she couldn't have cared less about checking on them. We will not be back. Spending $100+ on dinner in Thornton Park and leaving still hungry is insane. There are too many other places in Orlando that have great food and more of it at those prices. They need to either up the portion size or drop the prices and hire some better wait staff. Huge disappointment!
(2)Asmi S.
The food was incredible. It's southern comfort staples with a contemporary twist. I am vegetarian so I was a little worried but this place was highly recommended by friends so my boyfriend and I decided to check it out. We got the fried tomato with pickled okra appetizer, chicken fried cauliflower steak, and banana meringue pudding and the potato chip chocolate cake. Everything was full of flavor with a decadent mix of textures. The service was excellent- very friendly staff. The manager and waiter came to our table many times during the meal to check up on us. Highly recommend this place!
(5)Amy H.
So, so disappointed. Another Orlando let-down - but there is hope! First impression: Cozy, I like what they've done with the space. It has completely transformed from the cold, hollow, Sex and the City-era Hue. Moving into the bar, I immediately noticed (1) lack of patrons and (2) the pretty bartop with staggered seating (still undecided about this arrangement). A fan of Garden & Gun, I was excited to see they had some books laid out on the bar - maybe for the bored and lonely? Cute touch, but a little awkward and trying too hard to capture "southern" in a sprawling town with a cultural crisis. Maybe it's an attempt at educating those of us who order our iced tea sans syrup. Still, just kitschy. Not quite Cracker Barrel, but kitsch can be a slippery slope! Food, drink...and service: Watermelon cocktail to start - for $12, I should have detected a hint of vodka. The pink peppercorn flakes are just for show, didn't add anything to the flavor. It is supposed to be served with mint, which was the appeal for me - watermelon + lime + mint = yum! AFTER the bartender placed it in front of me, she said her mint wasn't up to par. When I asked what the solution was, she said she would go get mint, so I held off on sipping. Of course, she got wrapped up in a discussion of her fab ideas for whiskey flights with a group of men - investors? managers? - no idea and not relevant other than for the point that they were clearly more important than a guest waiting for her cocktail to be completed. The mint never found its way to the bar, so I sucked the watery (not even "refreshing," just watery) concoction down. When I finished, I was offered another, and when I declined, threw in a little feedback since this is a new place with some apparent kinks - no thanks, it was a little watery and definitely could have used the mint! Response: "Oh...I'm sorry." I can't even. Cauliflower steak - actually pretty nice! Not crazy about the salty red sauce served with it (green tomato/chile sauce would have been exciting!), but the cauliflower was great, not overcooked; the asparagus was just right; and the potatoes pulled it all together! Overall, I think this place is overpriced for what they have going now. Get that rumored happy hour going, fill up the bar early in the evening, and take some feedback. Take a field trip to New Orleans, shadow at Cochon! Don't fall into the Orlando trap of serving mediocre food and drink with a side of attitude.
(2)Lindsey B.
Disappointed. I wanted to like this place, but the moment my $12 cocktail was poured from a pre made bottle, I knew I was doomed. I have no qualms of paying for good cocktails, but I at least would like them to be handcrafted. Boo. Overall, it just felt like it was a place trying too hard to be something it's not. My fave places include Cask & Larder, Rusty Spoon, etc. so to boast a (very) similar menu to those places with no where near the quality, it just doesn't work. If you're going to charge C&L prices, your food better be C&L quality! We had the tartare which tasted only of truffle oil, ruined the point of the dish in the first place. We also had pork belly biscuits and the mac & cheese which were slightly better, but overpriced. The market around this area is lower, so again, if you're going to have high prices make the drinks and food outstanding!
(1)Laura M.
This was my first time visiting SoCo in Thorton Park... I enjoy eating out and have been in the business where we serve excellent, delicious food and beverages. But this visit was beyond amazing!! The general manager James was very knowledgeable about every food item and beverage on the menu and our server was very friendly and attentive!! The food was beyond amazing and phenomenal flavors. We ordered the Chicken Fried New York Strip and the Venison Chop Special; both were prepared to perfection Med Rare just as we ordered. SoCo is definitely a place I am planning on visiting time and time again!! If you are looking for something outside the box you should absolutely make it a point to visit this Local restaurant. You will love it and much as I did!! Laura G
(5)Jackie P.
I just went the other night and LOVED this place. My husband and I ordered 4 'small plates' in order to try more things out without getting very full. I ordered the Royal Palm cocktail which was excellent but strong, which is just fine for me. It had dark chocolate bitters and orange, very delicious. My husband had a can of local beer, unfortunately they don't have draft beer but that was okay too. We ordered the: -crab stuffed deviled duck eggs: my favorite out of all the small plates, so delicious, so perfect. -shrimp and grits ravioli: although my husband and I are not huge fans of grits, I am a huge fan of shrimp so we went ahead and ordered this. It was awesome! The grits were delicious. -chicken and dumplings: my second favorite and my husbands favorite overall. Not traditional in that the chicken was sliced over the dumplings and there were edamames sprinkled all about the plate. However, this was still so creamy and delectable. -pork belly biscuits: much like the others, delicious and perfect. We avoided the jalapeno jelly because we're not too good with spicy stuff. Although we were assured that it was pretty sweet. The server checked on us all the time and made very helpful suggestions and made sure we understood everything on the menu. The manager passed by and checked on us a few times too, making food suggestions as well, which was nice. There was never a time where we didn't feel taken care of. We also ordered desserts: -house made moon pie: I know what you're thinking "we're not coming to a nice restaurant just to eat moon pies". It's a play on a moon pie, not an actual moon pie. And it is SO damn delicious. Seriously, if you are considering dessert, GET THIS. -potato chip crusted chocolate cake: Now you're thinking "ew, potato chips on my decadent chocolate cake". Think again! Salty and sweet, so yummy. Very thick and chocolatey cake with salty potato chips on the outside. Again...YUM. My one and only complaint is that it is a bit pricey. This makes me sad because I'd love to come here all the time but it's too expensive to be doing that. Otherwise, amazing place.
(4)Dave G.
This place is Awesome. They have completely redone the old Hue Space. It's really nice, tasteful, but not over done. Been a fan of the Chef from his former restaurants... and here he has had a chance to do his own thing - and it's excellent food. been there 3 times in 2 weeks, my friends loved it. The bar is great, hand crafted cocktails, solid wine list. But the food is why you are here, and they don't disappoint. The Korean Chicken, Pecan Fluke are off the Chart !. You know you are going to have a special meal - when you find out the chef even makes his own Butter for the biscuits.
(5)Janet B.
My husband and I went to Soco last night for dinner. The service was really good and the food was AMAZING! There wasn't a single thing we didn't enjoy. My husband had this watermelon cocktail that was so good - not too sweet, the perfect blend of a lot of different flavors. We had the pork belly biscuits and the fried green tomato salad for our starters. Both were delicious. My husband had the pork chop and I had the fluke for our entrees. Both fabulous. I even had a side of collard greens which were some of the best I have ever eaten. Being from the South, I thoroughly enjoyed this restaurant. The banana pudding is out of this world for desert. We also had the mini moon pies and RC Cola ice cream float - what a fun treat!! I highly, highly recommend this place. A great addition to Thornton Park!
(5)Jill B.
SO delicious! And so incredibly nice. I came with my parents and boyfriend a couple months ago when I was there for my job. Everything was so good. From appetizers to dessert, I couldn't have asked for a better dinner in Orlando!
(5)Jean R.
I've been back to SoCo three times since my initial review. I was initially very optimistic but I am officially giving up on it. The food is sometimes inspiring and sometimes lousy; at these prices, I expect consistency. For the most part, the service has been well-intentioned but often lacking polish. A few months ago, I ordered the fried green tomato which I had really liked on a previous visit. This time the tomato was red and the coating mushy. The chef actually sent the server back to the table with a slice of a different tomato that was half green and half red; not sure what the point of that was. The last time I had a horrible experience. I ordered the Arcitic char and it was a bit old so I sent it back. I didn't want to delay my companions so I asked the manager if the steak was sweet and she said the sauce was a bit sweet but they could put it on the side. The sauce was not sweet, the glaze that the steak was cooked in was sweet, so my steak was sweet. Sugar on my main courses makes my stomach lurch so I sent it back too. The manager was clearly livid and let me know it. She did not offer me anything else to eat so I sat there eating bread and picking off of my friends' plates for the rest of the meal. Granted, my friend's fluke was superb but this place is just too hit-and-miss. It was nearly empty on my last two visits so it seems the neighborhood agrees with me.
(2)Irene P.
We were visiting Orlando and chose this restaurant because of it's location to downtown. The food did not disappoint. The corn bisque was rich & creamy. We ordered the meatloaf over lobster mashed potatoes, the hangar steak, the pecan crusted fluke and the King clip. Each diner enjoyed their entree. Presentation is picture perfect. Wish we could go back, because the sides offered on the menu also looked delish, but the entree sizes are adequate so ordering sides would have overdone it....plus we wanted dessert. Best one was the chocolate cake covered with crushed potato chips and nuts. Service was outstanding. The hostess, restaurant manager and our waiter...all made us feel welcome.
(5)Kelsie R.
Saturday night, 6:30 reservation, party of ~13 1. THE FOOD WAS GOOD. 2. We were disappointed in the chocolate cake, though. 3. Our server spilled wine on one in our party. 4. Two items our birthday girl ordered did not arrive. 5. We told our server, Matt, in advance, that we would need separate checks. A. It took us 40 minutes to pay for our separate checks. B. The checks were not accurate, and multiple people had to send back corrections to their checks, causing further delays. C. The manager's response was, "Well, did you ask for separate checks?" We didn't want to get anything free, just some acknowledgment and respect for the poor service we received. We had a show to attend at 9:30. It's 9:35 and I am writing this review instead of seeing the show. #disappointed
(2)Kathy Z.
Enjoyed dinner at this amazing restaurant before a show at the new performing arts center. The drinks were exceptional and complemented our dinner selections of Grilled Meatloaf on a bed of lobster mashed potatoes and Maple glazed hanger steak perfectly. Our server Matt was attentive and gave us wonderful suggestions for each course from drinks, appetizers, main course, to desert. Items not to miss are the chicken dumplings and banana pudding! The manager James stopped by the table a few times to make sure we were enjoying our meal. We will certainly return soon!
(5)Zena M.
I was disappointed when they closed Hur and reopen with this because I was worried about the menu changes and what type of concept restaurant they would put here. I am vegan and I have food allergies and my review is from this perspective. This place is wonderful. The interior is gorgeous and has the feel of an upscale restaurant. I had a gin and juice cocktail and it was phenomenal. When I told them I was vegan not only do they have a vegan item on the menu but they can make many other items vegan for you to consume. Vegan dish was sautéed vegetables and an amazing vinaigrette with pasta stuffed with more vegetables. Most places when they give you vegetables don't do anything to it other than steam It into a mush and put it on a plate. The chefs here have actually eaten vegetable before and chose the vegetables that would complement each other in the steamed vinaigrette dish. My food was properly seasoned and very tasty. This is an excellent addition to the downtown restaurant scene and I highly recommend it to anybody who wants an upscale experience with really good food.
(5)Bobby P.
Respect to Nico, running the bar. Dude knows how to craft the cocktails. - Manhattan - done right - Watermelon Cooler - my friend Denise says it best, a 'pink panty-dropper'
(4)Sarah G.
Small plate chicken & dumplings- not your grandma's. Perfect! We both had the pork chop & split squash casserole. Everything was great, including our server. We'll be back!
(5)Cali G.
I went to SoCo last night with one of my girlfriends and we had a great time! We sat outside, the ambiance was fantastic and the food was unique and delicious. We started out with the Watermelon Cooler as a drink and normally I wouldn't go for something that sweet but our server assured us that it wouldn't disappoint and it definitely didn't! It was so refreshing that we gulped them down and ordered a bottle of house Pinot Nior. We were both in the mood for something light so I can't really speak for their main dishes but everything we ordered was fantastic. Our server made a suggestion to try the oysters and I'm glad we did! For my main dish I had the peach salad and my friend had Fried Green Tomatoes, Pickled Okra and Little Gems Greens which was also really good. We shared everything and even made a comment at the end of dinner that it felt so nice that we were overly full. I gave them 4 stars because some of our dishes did take a little while to come out but our server was so attentive and even offered us a complimentary dessert for waiting. I think that with new restaurants, these types of things take time to develop a flow so I didn't think it was a huge deal! Definitely recommend coming here for a delicious meal and good vibe!
(4)Amy Lee P.
We have had 2 decadent brunches here. Unique food, great atmosphere and tasty cocktails.
(5)Jessy B.
The first thing you notice when walking up to SoCo is how beautiful the restaurant is. Lots of burnt wood and soft light. The next thing i noticed is the massive amount of out door seating they had, on a comfortable Fl night, Id love to eat outside, snuggled against the curb, watching the down-towners walk about. Next is the atmosphere, the mood. Plenty of banter going on with music in the background, very inviting. You can eat and chat with out feeling too loud or out of place. We were seated next to the huge windows, the perfect seat I thought. Our server, whos name I regretfully forgot, was amazing. I have never had service that good. Excellent recommendations and extremely knowledgeable about the menu and tastes of the food. My companions got beers which they both loved and I chose from their selection of hot teas, Forte brand. Delicious. We ordered the Duck deviled eggs and pork belly biscuits for appetizers. The deviled eggs were delicious but I might skip them next time, simply because the price vs taste ratio was skewed to the price side. The pork belly biscuits though, despite them being 12$ for 2 biscuits, I wanted another right away. HEAVEN is the only word I could use to describe them. The hands of GOD made these biscuits. There is no other explanation for how delicious they were, simply divine. For dinner we ordered the smoked fish, chicken fried steak, and maple glazed steak. The meat was cooked perfectly. I did not personally like the fish, but I learned through out every dish Soco does vegetables so well. Every veggie on our plates was just amazing. I recommend trying something out of your comfort zone here, they do everything so well here. Im not even sure I can talk about dessert. Its almost a memory so great that I want to keep it just for myself. But what kind of review would this be if I didn't share? BANANA PUDDING: Bourbon, yes, and for someone who doesn't drink and does not like the taste of alcohol, let me tell you you can not taste it. The end of each spoonful has a slightly tangy edge to it that makes the dessert so refreshing, like the perfect end to the perfect meal. It doesn't crash into your face with sweetness, its just perfect. It comes with delicious vanilla wafers and a little waffle with fried bananas. Much yum. So good. BERRY CRISP: The ultimate cobbler. A mixture of berries with very little sweetener added and a crumbly topping baked to perfection. Did I mention that word before, perfect? A dollup of homemade vanilla on top adds just the right amount of cold to the toasty cobbler. Aw gawd, so good. POTATO CHIP CRUSTED CHOCOLATE CAKE: I know what you're thinking, ew. Or weird. But no, the salt of the potato sticks (not quit chips) goes perfectly with this rich and super moist chocolate cake. I mean, Ive never had chocolate cake SO moist. It was just... perfect. Please do not pass up any opportunity to throw your money at Soco. It is worth every single penny. Enjoy!
(5)Amanda P.
Everything we ordered was fantastic! A bottle of La Crema Pinot to start ....Chicken & Dumplings, Fried Green Tomato Salad w/ Pickled Okra, Grilled Meatloaf & the desert special finished off a delicious evening! Thank you Scott O'Hara for making this night so special!! We'll definitely be back!
(5)Mareen A.
Way overpriced for the quality of the food and service. Similar options in 32801 are half the price and better or the same quality.
(2)Daina M.
great ambiance.. food was ok.
(3)Nick M.
As young professionals living in Thornton Park, we have been looking forward to a new concept coming to the area ever since Hue closed. Although the new setup and decor was beautiful, we did not experience the "true southern hospitality" that they advertise. I made Sunday brunch reservations for a group of 16 for my birthday. The person assured me on the phone we would be at one table if we came at 11:00. Sure enough, they put us at two separate tables. Not a huge deal, we didn't say anything and made it work. We had 3 or 4 waiters taking orders and bringing drinks When the food came, one person in our party did not get her food. When we asked the waiters about it, they pointed to another person in our party and stated that "he is eating your food". "Well where is his food then, we got the same thing?" No the waiter said, "he ordered French Toast, but is eating your meatloaf". My friend being accused of eating someone else's dish heard what was going on and was flabbergasted that a waiter would accuse him of not knowing the difference between meatloaf and french toast. Two of the waiters now are trying to dispute this and embarrassing our party instead of just going in the back and fixing the miscommunication. My friend finally got her meal when we were all already finished with our food, and was brought the bill. They charged her for both meals, and we asked them to fix it, we were met with an eye roll. At this point we had enough and asked to speak to management. When the manager came over (an older male), we realized that the lack of customer service came from the top. He was immediately rude and said "you are 16 people and were served 16 meals, what is the problem?" SO rude. As I went on to explain the situation he says "well it is your word against the waiters. I don't have time for this." I thought the purpose of a manager was to fix situations and hear customers out so issues are prevented in the future. All we wanted was for our friends check to be fixed and an "I'm sorry" for the waiters disputing with a customer on what they ordered. I have worked in customer service for years and was honestly shocked at the attitude we were met with by this man. He kept stating what good yelp reviews the wait staff has received in the past and could not believe they would be wrong. No compassion for the customers at all. For such a new restaurant, I would expect the staff to go above and beyond to bring people back. I love the ambiance and location of Soco, but unfortunately do not know if I will be back and certainly will not bring such a large party back if I am going to be embarrassed of how they are treated. I didn't even mention how one waitress addressed a friend of mine as her hair color instead of what you would expect from a waiter in a professional, classy restaurant. I really want Soco to succeed, but they need to up their game in the training department before people get turned off. The food was decent, not huge portions for the price, but after the experience we had, everyone left with a bad taste in their mouth.
(2)Michelle L.
The atmosphere was very inviting. Our server brought her southern charm and wowed us. Felicia explained the menu with such enthusiasm that it made it very difficult to decide what to order .After the agony of deciding I finally went with the shrimp and grits. It was to die for ! My husband got the pork chop and he cleaned his plate very quickly. The servers had very professional attire. They looked classic and sharp looking. I gave a 4 star because the manager came over to ask how we were doing. My mouth literally dropped. The outfit was not professional for this type of restaurant. I know it sounds odd, but it totally changed the vibe. If I had an issue and asked the manager to come over, the outfit alone would have sealed the deal for me never returning. But thanks to Felicia there was not an ounce of disappointment. She even recommend our banana pudding desert, that I am still dreaming about!
(4)Steve D.
Came in Tuesday night at 930p for a late dinner, knowing we only had 30 minutes before SOCA closed (was our first time visit, found the place on foodspotting - we were staying in Lake Buena Vista for the night but made the drive out for something non-touristy). We were the only guests there and were given first class service by Aristed (sp?) - he kept reminding us that the entire kitchen staff was there for us and that we shouldn't ever feel rushed - they would close when we were finished. We dined on: truffle Mac/cheese (astounding), pork BBQ buttermilk biscuits (so so), chicken fried NY Strip & mashed potatoes (fantastic), rock shrimp hush puppies (not on the menu as an appetizer but when I expressed interest in trying them Aristed brought out an order - also fantastic but needed an accompanying sauce maybe?). My girlfriend loved the whiskey sour (perfectly made) and the beer and whiskey selection was fantastic (I had the Goose Island Sofie). We finished with the bourbon bread pudding which was excellent - with a really nice presentation. I would rate the food and beverages as an 9/10 and the service, ambiance (lighting and music) a solid 10/10. Aristed (who told us he has only been working there a few months) took great care of us and really believes in the vision of the Chef/Owner (who's name escapes me, sorry!) ... We also were given warm smiles and a "thank you" from two other employees on the way out the door. Keeping the lighting down and music playing until we were finished at 1045P (45 minutes after closing) was an effort that was appreciated and recognized as extremely rare. Highly recommend this spot - will definitely return (for brunch!) next time we are in Orlando.
(5)Jennifer R.
In an effort to find a good Sunday Brunch, without a crazy wait, and also entertain friends in from out of town we landed on Soco. For having no reservations we got in pretty quick, by luck I'm sure but I'll take it! The entire table promptly ordered a round of Kentucky Coolers, which were delicious! I ordered the biscuits and gravy with pork Belly with a side of the baked cheddar grits. Both were quite good. In hindsight I probably should have just ordered the grits with a side of biscuits because those were my favorite parts. My boyfriend ordered the apple stuff French toast with a side of the macaroni and cheese. Both of his were really tasty although the French toast was so so so sweet. My friends ordered the fried quail and waffles and another order of French toast, the quail and waffles got rave reviews. Our waiter was super attentive and helpful. All around it was a successful brunch with great food, drinks, service, with no wait!
(4)Dave H.
Bad. Expensive. And bad. We had three of the small plates, averaging $10 each. When they say small plates, they mean it. The chicken and dumplings dish was okay. The pork belly biscuits were okay but tiny. The ravioli shrimp and grits dish tasted really bad. After waiting so long for this place I was really disappointed. I notice that most of the reviews are focusing on the desserts, which we didn't try. We opted for cupcakes at the farmers market. Service was good.
(2)Sharmain R.
This was my first visit to Soco at Thornton Park. I chose this restaurant because I love the Thornton Park area. This restaurant sits on the corner of Central Blvd Downtown Orlando. The ambiance of this restaurant is fine for dining. The entrance is clean and well maintained. The lighting in the restaurant is appropriate. The temperature is comfortable and the air quality is acceptable. The music is audible yet non-intrusive and appropriate. The women's restroom is clean and well stocked with adequate supplies. When I arrived at Soco, there was a male and female nicely dressed standing outside at the entrance. The male held the door open for me as I entered. I then made my way to the host stand. There was no one there. I waited for two minutes and I was not acknowledged. I looked at the two people still standing outside talking and wondered if they were a part of the staff. They both the entered the restaurant. The female approached the host stand and asked if I was being helped. I told her I was not. She asked how many were in my party. I told her that I was not sure and I would wait at the bar. I was not happy that they stood outside all that time while I waited for someone to greet me. Seeing that this was my first visit, I did not feel welcomed. I sat at the bar. The bar top was clean and the back bar area was neat and organized. I was greeted immediately by the female bartender. She smiled, made eye contact and greeted me warmly, and displayed appropriate body language and demeanor. She gave me a cocktail menu. She returned a few minutes later and asked what would I like to drink. I told her I wanted something sweet and she recommended three different cocktails. I asked her which one was the best and she said she preferred the Watermelon Cooler and described its taste and that it was very refreshing. She was absolutely correct. It tasted refreshing. She handed me a menu and I ordered the Duck Egg Salad and Vegan Tortellini. At no time did she introduce herself to me, so I asked her for her name eventually. The bar was not busy at that time, just me and two other guests. There were times that the bartender was not doing anything, yet she did not engage me in friendly conversation. The food was very tasty. The Duck Egg Salad was a small serving accompanied with fresh crispy crostinis. The Vegan Tortellini was a serving of smoked black-eyed peas in the Tortellini accompanied with asparagus brussel sprouts in a broth. I also had the Southern Belle dessert which was to die for. It was made with apple and had coconut on top sitting in a white vanilla whiskey sauce. I like this restaurant for the ambiance and the food. However, I probably would not recommend based on just the service. Hopefully, if I do plan to return I would have a better time.
(3)Georgina G.
Been here twice for dinner; once with a group of 5 and the other with just 1 other person. Service and food were both consistent each time. The food was delish and the service was friendly and attentive. Would go back again but for brunch next time.
(4)Elizabeth W.
I honestly wouldn't have known about this place if they hadn't been part of magical dining because I live in the international drive area of Orlando but I'm so happy I found them because I truly fell in love. I took my mother out for magical dining and we started off with the cornmeal crisped oysters and the pork belly biscuits, both were really delicious, the oysters had a nice texture and were served on top of pork rinds which I thought was a nice, whimsical touch and the pork belly on the biscuits was really tender with the jalepeño jelly adding a nice kick. We tried a couple of the cocktails, I highly recommend the watermelon cooler if you like something that's equally sweet and tangy. The flavor was so amazing, it reminded me of this candy that warheads used to make when I was a kid, they discontinued it and I have spent a majority of my adult life searching to see if there is anywhere I could find it and have been unsuccessful. Imagine my surprise and absolute delight that I found my very own new version of this candy with the upgrade of vodka inside. Honestly, if there's anything that will bring me back here, it's mainly that drink. For the entree I chose the grilled heritage pork chop which is rare for me because pork has to be cooked right for me to enjoy it and is often times overcooked, but they put the pork through a three-step process which keeps its tender, juicy, and delicious and I was truly impressed. The grit cake and the collard greens married with it perfectly it terms of texture and flavor. My mom ordered the grilled meatloaf on lobster mashed potatoes which was honestly the ultimate comfort food dish, it was wonderfully sinful but it was served with grilled asparagus so that makes it okay, right? I loved that there were actual chunks of lobster in the potatoes and the meatloaf was so good it almost seems like calling it a "meatloaf" is insulting. We wrapped it up with the bourbon banana pudding. It was delicious though I would have enjoyed it more if it was served colder. I'm a big lover of pudding, it's the kid in me and they truly hit the flavor spot by adding a noticeable amount of bourbon. Everything was delicious, the service way good and attentive, and I will be definitely be back because every single thing on that menu was calling my name and I need to respond.
(5)Mike W.
This is the most deserving of the 5 star restaurant in Orlando. From the hostess to the service and finally to the food everything is high class southern food with a contemporary flair. This trip I have the grilled meatloaf with lobster mashed potatoes. The meal left me utterly speechless. Its simply one of the best dishes i've ever had and absolutely everything i've been craving. Another highlight of the menu is their pork belly and their biscuits. You must have the biscuits!
(5)Stanley Y.
4.75 stars 2nd time in 3 nights. 5 night stay in Orlando, only restaurant we went to twice. Corn bisque is awesome. Collard greens side... I'm a big fan. Smoked cobia was the healthy choice after eating too much theme park food lately. The white bean salsa was nice. Hangar steak is really good. Bourbon banana bread pudding... Yes!! It's a must have. The waffle goes so well with it. I really should give this place 5 stars.
(5)Mike P.
After waking up late, my wife and I found that our daughter wanted us to join her for brunch at Soco. We met up at noon and our daughter and granddaughter already had a table on the patio that was shaded. After being seated our server gave us a few minutes to visit before taking our drink order which was greatly appreciated. Normally it is coffee for me and a mimosa for my wife but we both wanted coffee today. They use a French press for their coffee which really makes for a great cup of Joe. Our daughter ordered the Crab Stuffed Deviled Duck Eggs as an appetizer. My wife and daughter had the Baby Romaine Lettuce with soft fried egg and I chose the Crispy Duck Confit Potato Cakes with a side of grits. We each had one of the Duck Eggs and just like the last time, they were delicious. The crab is very subtle and does not overpower the flavor of the duck egg. Nicely done is all I have to say. I tasted my wife's soft fried egg and it was well executed. I have tried many times to make soft fried eggs and can never seem to get the perfect level of crispiness on the outside without overcooking the yolk. My last trip here the chef was not satisfies with the grits so I missed out. Well this time he approved and they made it to the table. It was worth the wait to try them because there were some of the best cheese grits I have ever tasted. The crust on the top caught me off guard but it did not take away from the grits in any way. I could have made a meal of these grits alone because they were that good! Last up is my Crispy Duck Confit Potato Cakes. The presentation was very nice. The Sauce on the plate was incredible but the Duck Confit Potato Cakes did not have as much duck flavor as I would have expected. The texture was great but I would have preferred a slightly stronger duck flavor. Keep in mind that is just MY personal preference. If you prefer a more subtle balance of the duck in the potato cake, you will love them. When it came time for a second pot of coffee, it took a bit of time and our coffee had not arrived. I said something to our server she said there was an issue with the hot water. Well I told her to nix the coffee because I just grew impatient waiting for more coffee. To my surprise she brought us a second pot with her sincerest of apologies and never even charged us for the coffee. I can understand things not going quite to plan but she stepped up and turned a negative into a positive. That is the difference between good service and great service. You can bet we'll be back again...
(5)Kristen M.
10/10 meal again last night at Soco. My friend and I split our two favorite dishes: the meatloaf and the cauliflower steak. Both were delicious. And nothing beats the Watermelon Cooler cocktail. Chef Richie... you totally rock!!
(5)Daniel C.
Tuesday night the girls and I went to SOCO a new place downtown orlando. Soco focuses on southern dishes with locally grown produce and meats. The girls had old fashioned's to drink which were fancied up with a giant ice cube like you'd expect. We started out with a biscuit basket and Jalepeño Jelly. They were gigantic biscuits but didn't seem specifically home made even though I know they were. Rachel and I shared Slow-Roasted Barbecue-Glazed Pork Belly Biscuits (Jalapeño Jelly, Chow-Chow) which it seems like she didn't really care for but I did enjoy. For entrees Rachel and Jen both got seafood dishes. The Pecan Crusted Fluke and one of the mains fish dishes was subbed with Salmon that night I believe. The girls seemed to enjoy their fish. Tara and I got two dishes and agreed to share. I got the Chicken-Fried New York Strip (Garlic Mashed Potatoes, White Truffle Pepper Gravy) and Tara got the Lake Meadow Naturals Korean-Style Fried Chicken (Pickled Radishes, Sweet and Spicy Sauce). Overall delicious. Will be back when i go to Orlando.
(5)Ryan F.
I don't think I have much to say that everyone else hasn't said. We had 6:00 reservations on a Friday and were seated immediately (there weren't many other people eating yet). My Gin and Juice cocktail was good, not $12 good, but good. Fried Green Tomato salad was tasty and a pretty good price. Biscuits were delicious and HUGE. Chicken Fried Cauliflower was quite good. I enjoyed the sauce. Cauliflower and asparagus were cooked perfectly. Mashed potatoes were not memorable but not bad. Boyfriend said his Grilled Meatloaf was very good. He did ask for Garlic Mash instead of the Lobster Mash and was told ok by the server but he got Lobster Mash (which he just ate, picking around the lobster because it didn't have a super strong flavor). Banana Pudding was really good. Eat each bite with a little caramel. Yum! We got 20% off by showing tickets for a show at DPAC which made the potential $99 check only $80 which was great! Final verdict is that I didn't leave craving to eat any of the items I tried again. For the price, we probably won't be back because there's other places I'd love to go to for a special occasion BUT it was good. If they dropped their prices a bit I'd come again. I want to do brunch here but GEEZ is it crazy expensive for a mid-day meal. The server was nice although somewhat abrupt. She seemed to not really care about our answers to her questions but she didn't bother me specifically and was friendly enough.
(4)Brittany B.
We visited Soco during Magical Dining and had a great time! The Pork Belly Biscuits were unbelievable as was the Pimento Cheese Mornay on the Heritage Pork Chop that my husband got! I had the Grilled Meatloaf with Lobster Mashed Potatoes and it was delicious. They also had a great bourbon list, which included some from local distilleries. We will definitely be going back to try more menu items.
(5)Cari W.
I was looking for a 'new' place to try and heard about SOCO in the Orlando Weekly. Our friends met us there & were waiting at the bar. The restaurant features a lot of dark liquor cocktails which isn't our thing so the bartender made her a elderflower, ginger lime martini that was really good so I ordered one too. For bar snacks they out out ramekins of toasted hominy that was so good we highjacked the ramekin & took it back to our table. For apps we ordered the mac & cheese croquettes which were very good & my husband got the Barbecue-Glazed Pork Belly Biscuits with Jalapeño Jelly which he said were also really good. My friend & I both ordered the corn bisque - all I can say is WOW! They bring out this bowl that is so hot you can't touch it & in the both are a handful of corn niblets & bits of crispy ham (I was ham free); they then pour the soup into the bowl. It was one of the most delicious things I've ever tasted! Slightly sweet and creamy and so flavorful. My friend & I both ordered the hicken-Fried Cauliflower "Steak" that came with Asparagus, Artichoke, Garlic Mashed Potatoes & Tomato Gravy. That was also delicious. My husband got the pork which he said was good but could've used salt & pepper. My friend's husband got the New York strip which he said was good. Even tough we were all stuffed we had to try dessert. My husband & I shared the Potato Chip Crusted Chocolate Cake with Peanut Brittle & Salted Caramel and it was fantastic. Our friends tried the Bourbon Banana Pudding which was overly sweet, but the donut that came with it was nice & airy. I am looking forward to going back & trying some other things on the menu. As a vegetarian it was nice that they had several vegetarian options for me to choose from instead of being stuck having to order a salad.
(5)Drew S.
Very very good. Our server Amanda was super nice. Our table liked everything and ordered the... -Fluke -Meatloaf -Pork Chop -Cauliflower Steak (yummy) -Sausage Ravioli -Chicken and Dumplings -Pork Belly Biscuits (phenomenally good) -Berry Cobbler One old guy was complaining about the lack of sweet tea on the menu. Which really is odd that a Southern restaurant doesn't have that. My ultimate litmus test for a restaurant is, "If someone paid for me to eat anywhere in the city, would I rather try somewhere new, or go back here?". Meal was good, but there's still many other places I'd wanna try before returning. Definitely worth checking out. And if I was in the neighborhood, I'd return in a heartbeat for the pork belly biscuits.
(4)Alexandra M.
Came here for Sunday brunch with my boyfriend a few weeks ago, and my WORD, we left there the happiest of customers! Unlimited mimosas were awesome! Our waitress was so on point with refilling them (and our waters, which is key for me) every time we took one little sip. We mainly just ordered a ton of small plates, all of which were delectable. I want to shake whoever's hands were responsible! Overall, great relaxing atmosphere, amazingly crafted menu items, and totally worth the prices. Can't wait to try their dinner menu.
(5)Danielle D.
-4 stars for the cocktails. During happy hour they are $8 when they are normally $12 so it's a good deal and you could tell they were made with care. -4 stars for the pork belly biscuits -5 stars for the meatloaf entree -2 stars for the potato chip chocol
(4)Colleen B.
Southern comfort y'all! Adoring this spot. It's a little pricey or I would be here on the regular and they would get sick of me. So happy we have a true Southern treasure in downtown. Self proclaimed as 40% Southern and 60% Contemporary. Perfect blend. I have been three times and each time has been very different, in it's own great, way. This took over the spot that was formerly Hue, so you know the location is amazing. They extended the outside seating to include some on both sides, love that. They also added a bar to the left room and it works perfectly. The decor is very warm and welcoming. The Must Haves: - Biscuits, duh, it's Southern! - The meatloaf (I know, how many times have you heard "OMG, you have to get the meatloaf?" never. - Get it here, it's DELICIOUS! - check it, on Grilled Meatloaf on Lobster Mashed Potatoes - Three-Meat Blend, Crispy Onion Rings, Smoked Vidalia Onion Andouille Sausage Gravy - Get the - Grown-Up Cherry Cola - Flor de Caña 4 yr. Rum, Cola Simple, Whiskey Soaked Cherry, Barrel Aged Bitters; be careful it will sneak up on you - Soco-Style "Chicken and Dumplings" - Carved Chicken Breast, Lobster Dumplings, Local Mushrooms, Edamame, Soy Butter - so delicious, could be a great main meal if you pair with a salad. Few things to note: - the chairs outside for the regular tables are very low for the height if the tables - that made it hard to get comfortable. I hope moving forward they add pillows or boosters to improve this one thing. - You can live without the Hand-Made Canaveral "Shrimp and Grits" Ravioli - Andouille Sausage, Tomatoes, Velouté - nothing to write home about, there is so much more to enjoy on the menu. I can not wait to return for the Brunch on Sunday!
(4)Ashley M.
Soco is a nice option in Orlando, but not necessarily going to be a big repeat for us. The food was fine, they had very high class service, but it just didn't have the wow factor of a lot of other locations. I loved an Asian lobster/mushroom dish the we had, but nothing else really stood out. We were there for our anniversary and they were kind enough to recognize that. I just never like the feeling of making a reservation for a restaurant and feeling like no one else is there.
(4)T F.
Amazing atmosphere and good. I highly recommend the chicken fried NY strip and the cream of corn soup! The mac and cheese is a definite must. Incredible service. Don't forget to leave room for dessert....chocolate potatoes chip cake!! Yum
(5)Andi P.
4 Stars for a great ambiance, a FAB dessert, and good stuff in between. We got to SoCo pretty early for a group dinner so we sat at the bar for a drink first. I ordered a gin and tonic and my fella ordered Soco's take on a rum and [cherry] coke. His was great! Pretty sweet, but homemade soda and syrups made all the difference. Mine was ~meh~. I strayed from the cocktail menu but hoped that such a basic drink might be elevated with a fun cucumber slice or a twig of herbs, but it just had the lime that I asked for. Not complaining though because I certainly could have asked for the bartender to be creative with it. My friends arrived 10 mins late after calling the restaurant to push back the reservation. Apparently despite confirming that a table would be ready by then we were apologetically told that they had mistakenly given away the table. It was a bummer because it had been pouring down rain and though they wanted to get us seated after the snafu right away, no one was leaving their tables to venture out into the abyss. Finally, after the birthday girls' husband kept complaining because he'd been sure to confirm, a table was ready. Right away I knew I needed to Pork Belly Biscuits. And because I imagined they'd be wonderfully sinful I paired that with the fired green tomato salad. I have to say that though I liked the jalapeño jam and the pickled tomatoes, the biscuit was a bit thick to eat with the pork. I ended up deconstructing it a bit though and enjoyed each element separately. The fried green tomato salad was very good! Some of the greens were bitter but they were all tossed in a great dressing and the fried tomatoes were tart and crisp. We topped the night off with the famous slice of chocolate cake with string fries on it. The sweet and salty was divine! Additionally there were small cracks of salted caramel on the plate that added a real crunch to a super soft and moist cake. This dessert was the standout for me! AND, the server humored us and sang happy birthday to my friend while bringing out the cake slice with a lit candle. I had a great time and hopefully I'll get a chance to return soon!
(4)Krishna D.
This place is delightful. The food is delicious and so custom. The vibe here is super hip and trendy. The service is also fabulous. I had the meatloaf with lobster mashed potatoes which I highly recommend. We also had the Mac n cheese balls for an appetizer and the bread pudding for dessert. Both were fabulous. Everything was cooked excellently with a non traditional flair.
(5)Andrew H.
Soco's menu combines Greg Richie's classic culinary training with his experiences at renowned Southern restaurants such as Charleston's Magnolias and The Abbey in Atlanta. A progressive culinary approach is showcased with new, exciting and contemporary takes on Southern-inspired dishes. "Small Plates" begin with reinterpreted presentations such as Soco-Style Chicken and Dumplings that feature carved chicken breast, lobster dumpling, local mushrooms, edamame and soy butter. Other unique Soco twists include the Cornmeal Crisped Oysters that include pickled green tomato relish, and herb cream served atop chicharrones. The restaurant also features a "From The Garden" section, which offers a range of salad courses with interesting ingredients like compressed pickled peaches and arugula and baby romaine lettuce with soft fried egg, among others. For some of the Main and Feature dishes, Richie has played on the nostalgia of classic southern cuisine by creating a Lake Meadow Naturals Korean-Style Fried Chicken with pickled radishes, and a sweet and spicy dipping sauce. Other classic southern dishes that are taken up a notch include the Grilled Meatloaf on lobster mashed potatoes that feature a three-meat blend with crispy onion rings and a smoked Vidalia and Andouille sausage gravy. They even have a creative southern dish for all the vegetarians out there with a Chicken Fried Cauliflower Steak, that features asparagus, artichoke, garlic mashed potatoes and vine ripe tomato gravy. Starting with the "Small Plates", I sampled the Slow Roasted Barbecue Glazed Pork Belly Biscuits with Jalapeno Jelly. The Biscuits were very good, and as a Southerner, that says a lot. The flavors of the pork belly and Jalapeno jelly made these tasty little treats. The Cornmeal Crisped Oysters were a personal favorite. Lightly breaded and fried oysters served atop chicharrones and topped with green tomato relish and herb cream. Soco Style Chicken and Dumplings were very different, and very good. The dumplings come with chicken breast, lobster and mushrooms in an edamame soy butter sauce. Not your grandmas dumplings. Another unique Soco dish was the Hand Made Canaveral Shrimp and Grits Ravioli. Served with Andouille sausage, tomatoes and a classic Veloute sauce, this will make you rethink your definition of Shrimp & Grits. Out of sheer curiosity, for my entree selection I ordered the Chicken Fried New York Strip Steak. It sounds wild, but its actually a play on the classic schnitzel, but with a nice cut of beef. It was surprisingly tender and delicious. The Grilled Meatloaf on Lobster mashed Potatoes was really good. The meatloaf is made of 3 different meats and is served with a smoked Vidalia and Andouille sausage gravy. One of the "Feature" items at Soco is the Lake Meadow Naturals Korean Style Fried Chicken. The chicken is seasoned over night and coated in a thick and crispy batter that is topped with a sweet and spicy soy sauce. All my vegetarian friends should be pleased with the Chicken Fried Cauliflower Steak. Cauliflower is pressed together and formed into a patty and gets breaded and deep fried. This actually tasted pretty good, and I'm not a fan of non meat dishes. The taste of the South continued on in the dessert courses as well. Some of the home-style dessert offerings include Bourbon Banana Pudding, House-Made Moon Pie with RC Cola vanilla float, and Warm Apple and Oatmeal Spice Cake. First up, the Bourbon Banana Pudding. This was a spectacular dessert. When you make a Waffle out of Vanilla Wafers, that is dessert genius, then add on caramelized banana and toasted meringue...wow! The House Made Moon Pie with RC Cola Float was another cool Soco take on a classic Southern treat. Very good and very fun to eat.Another Unique dessert was the Potato Chip Crusted Chocolate Cake. Very simple in concept, salty and sweet and the cake was moist and delicious. The Warm Apple and Oatmeal Spice Cake was a nice treat as well. It is served in a pink peppercorn whiskey syrup and topped with shredded coconut. For something more traditional there is the Warm Berry Crisp served with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. This is an old southern classic dessert dish that will make you feel right at home
(4)Cecille R.
My husband and I decided to stay local and dine here for our anniversary dinner. I was a little worried because of the numerous 1 star reviews but we decided to give it a go based on the menu. Since it would be a Monday night dinner, I wasn't worried about spots filling up but I made a reservation on Opentable just to be safe. The location is located in the former Hue space in the Thornton Park District. Parking is in the garage that is connected to the building (entrances at Eola Dr and at Washington St) or you can try your luck for street parking. Unfortunately, they don't validate. For a couple of hours, we paid $4 so it wasn't terribly priced but make sure you have cash as I am not sure they take credit cards. They did a great job remodeling the space. It's gorgeous. Lots of exposed and distressed wood showing in the signage and decor. The outdoor patio would be perfect for Sunday brunch. There were lots of parties dining outside that night enjoying the nice weather. Because of our experience at other restaurants in the past with dining outside and getting neglected service wise, I decided we should dine inside. I was pleased to see that as fancy as the restaurant looks from the outside, diners seemed to be casually dressed. I had a casual dress on but from the looks of others with tshirts and shorts on, I think the restaurant seems to be very laidback and local friendly which I can appreciate. Our meal , from beginning to end, went off without a hitch. We were given 2 complimentary champagne flutes to celebrate the special occasion. Our server, Paul, was SO nice and basically there for anything we needed. He let us know that Executive Chef Greg Richie trained under celeb chefs Emeril Lagasse and Roy Yamaguchi and that Soco is Chef Richie's contemporary interpretation of southern cuisine, which is a nod to his southern roots. Everything on the menu looked fantastic and there was a great mix of items--seafood, chicken, beef-- to choose from. There was a list of "Small Plates" to start with (ranging from $7-12). We went with the hand made Canaveral "shrimp and grits" ravioli as well as the Soco style "chicken and dumplings". Our server also talked us into the buttermilk biscuits that are made in house with local cream. Everything was delicious. They are indeed small plates but allowed a couple bites for each of us per plate. My favorite was the chicken and dumplings which was a very contemporary version and less fattening than your Cracker Barrel version. The buttermilk biscuits were light and fluffy and HUGE. They came 4 to a basket and I could only eat 1. And the butter on that biscuit was heaven. If they do biscuits and gravy on their brunch menu someday, that will be popular item. Just saying. As if that wasn't enough food, we kept plugging along and ordered our entrees. My husband went with the grilled meatloaf on lobster mashed potatoes. I was torn between 3 different fish entrees and our server was able to explain the different kinds of fish and their differences to help me make my decision. I went with the pecan crusted Carolina fluke. When our entrees came out, we were pleasantly surprised . These were pricey entrees but they were huge servings especially for my Meat and potatoes husband. I enjoyed my meal- the 2 pieces of fish were lightly crusted with pecans set above a bed of rice with a side of sliced okras and shrimp hushpuppies. I took a bite of my husband's lobster mashed potatoes. OMG. Soo much food made for lots of leftovers for me. My husband cleared his plate. ;) By the time dessert rolled around, we decided to split the house made moon pie and RC Cola Vanilla ice cream float. Good idea as it was a good portion for both of us to share. It came with 3 mini moonpies. They were a bit hard to chew due to being refrigerated so I would suggest letting them thaw before serving. But the flavors were totally reminiscent of the original moonpie! The RC cola ice cream float came in glass with 2 straws to share as well as 2 spoons to scoop out. Just a fun way to enjoy dessert. This place is such a welcome addition to the neighborhood and was just so amazing. I'm so glad we chose to dine here. Service was spectacular and the food did not disappoint. I'm really hoping that our experience will stay consistent the next time we decide to splurge and dine here. They have a good thing going and I'm really hoping they survive!
(5)Alison M.
We had a group dinner at SOCO for my team at work. About 25 in the party and to the staff's defense some of us were seated about 10 minutes after the group had arrived. The place has a fantastic vibe with great mixed drinks. The menu is on point with other restaurants of the kind and it was kept up very well. With all that said, there are some details to service of which the staff fails to pay attention. For one, a restaurant of this kind should never be screaming out who had this and who had that when serving plates of food. Easy solution: number each seat at every table and follow that from server to kitchen to runners. Not a hard task, but makes a HUGE difference. Next, Take the appetizer and entree order at the same time. A well trained server should know when to fire the entree so that it arrives at the perfect time. At this restaurant we ordered our appetizers, finished most of them and still had yet to order our entrees. This broke up our dinner time where we had to stop enjoying conversation and food to go back through the ordering process and then had to stop our conversations yet again when the food was brought out to the table because servers were holding plates over our heads screaming who had this and who had that. Particularly concerning was that the manager of the restaurant (in suit and tie) did the same thing with calling out entrees asking who had what. How are your servers supposed to know what to do when the manager doesn't set a good example? Lack of training to the servers is what made me give this place a 3.... food was excellent and prepared and plated exactly as ordered. My suggestion, bring someone in to train your staff to match the atmosphere and food. This place has awesome potential and if you can get past the small but significant service issues you should definitely make a visit.
(3)Gabriela A.
The interior design is interesting, think up-scale southern food. I went there for brunch with a friend and ordered chicken and dumplings for an appetizer. The dumplings are labeled under the "small plates" section. THIS IS LITERAL and also it is $10 for three dumplings that are each the size of egg yolk. Our server was weird and seemed to be very new to serving because she asked strange questions. I ordered the Lobster Benedict which was extremely disappointing for $19 considering I had three very small bits of lobster each the size of a pistachio (that I had to look for since the first three bites didn't have any lobster tastes to them.) The Benedict it's self was good but considering it is advertised as lobster Benedict I expected their to be 19 dollars worth of LOBSTER. Mentioned this to the server but she didn't do anything about it. C'mon guys, for the price you can do much better. Will not be returning. Also the country music they played was just awful and loud as hell.
(1)Shayne M.
By far the worst dining experience in Orlando after 30 years. 75 minutes after our reservation we still didn't have a table. It took us saying something after repeated asks for a table, drinks that never showed, and undercooked appetizers to only be told by Mark Weissberg, the "director of operations" that they've never had an unhappy customer. We wouldn't know because your service is so bad we never got a table. Do yourself a favor and don't waste your time with this overly pretentious, full of themselves establishment and go to one of Orlando's other amazing restaurants.
(1)Allison H.
My husband and I went to Soco for dinner with another couple. We like the Thornton Park area a lot, so we wanted to give it a try. We went in and when asked if there were any tables available, the hostess replied "I don't know". The other host checked for us and sat us outside. The vibe was a little pretentious, but we went with it. We ordered the pork belly biscuits and the ravioli as app. Both plates came out fast and hot and were very good. For entrees, we were slightly disappointed. My husband had the hangar steak, I had the Carolina Fluke. I can't complain on flavors, but I can complain on price. With all of the other restaurants in the area, we didn't feel our entrees were worth the price. The servers were nice, but we had at least five different people visit our table. That was a little confusing. We left feeling satisfied, but none of us were full. I would say skip Soco and spend your money at Ravenous Pig or Cask & Larder or Scratch, where they truly care about their patrons and the food quality matches the price.
(3)JC C.
I had high hopes for this place because of it's location to where I live, but I'm left with disappointment. I've had dinner there 4 times and brunch 2 times. The dinner menu hasn't changed since the place opened. My partner and I have tried everything. The only dish they offer that has any flavor is the Korean Chicken. Everything else is bland and the servers are not knowledgeable about entrée ingredients. Whatever you do .... Do not ask to have any dish altered !!!!! The Chef will not allow it.
(2)D S.
The service was a bit disjointed and needs some work, but they serve some of the best high-end grub and drinks I've had in Orlando. Will definitely make a return visit and hope to find that the service has improved.
(4)Kelly W.
After seeing the improvements at City Fish, I had such high hopes for SoCo, and I haven't totally written it off, but our meal was a bit underwhelming. We showed up on a Sunday with a reservation, and were seated immediately. The place wasn't over crowded, but sill had a number of people eating. The staff was attentive, but seemed a bit green, splashing water and such, again nothing horrible, but not impressive either. We both got a fish entree, don't recall the exact fish, mine was served over grits with Swiss chard and ham broth, my husbands was pecan crusted. Both were cooked perfectly, but over salted. I though my husbands tasted pretty good, but mine was just not working. The shard was very bitter, and there was a lot of it. I like me some southern greens, but they were all bite and not much else, adding to that was the salty broth, the salty fish, and then the grits. I appreciated the southern spin, but the flavors just didn't do it for me. We finished with a seasonal berry cobbler, which was...nice, but forgetful. Overall we paid for a spectacular meal and got a forgetful one. However, I can see the talent and inspiration is there and I'm willing to give it another go thinking maybe we just got the wrong thing.
(3)Kristin D.
Absolutely flabbergasted that Soco has received anything other than a five star review from everyone that's dined here. I'm not sure these folks are even talking about the same restaurant because my 2 experiences at Soco have been outstanding. From the moment we were greeted at the door (which was being held open for us as we walked in) we knew the restaurant was not only southern cuisine, but also southern in hospitality. I know this is a strange thing to mention in a dining review, but the hostess at the front desk was SO friendly and welcoming, I immediately knew we were in for an awesome evening. After drinks at the bar- I ordered the Sparkler - a mix of whisky and champagne which was delicious and light but also a cocktail with a kick that was not girly in any way, we were seated promptly at our table for dinner. Definitely make a reservation a few days in advance because Soco was PACKED. Our first visit to Soco we had Brian as a server, and he guided us through the menu so magnificently that when we came in for the second time last night we knew exactly what to order for our friends in town from NYC. I mention NYC because typically folks from there have dined at some of the best restaurants in the country, and they were so blown away by the service, food and atmosphere that I feel like it's worth mentioning. Last night Alex took care of our table and he was on POINT. We started with the chicken and dumplings, which is an Asian-infusion style dish, rich and buttery and literally fight-over-the-last-bite worthy. Highly recommend. We contemplated ordering a second serving but continued with the oysters which were fried and served on home made chicharrones. Not to sound redundant, but also highly recommend. For dinner we ordered 3 plates for 4 people, which was the perfect amount of food that we didn't feel too weighed down to hit the bars afterwards. Also a plus with sharing- you get to try more! Our three plates were the meatloaf- served with LOBSTER MASHED POTATOES, (Yes, you read that right.) the hangar steak which is marinated in molasses and absolutely delicious, and the Korean-style fried chicken which was possibly my favorite, although it's impossible to choose. After all the dishes I've tried at Soco, I honestly don't think you can go wrong on this menu. Literally, there was not one morsel left on any of our plates when they were cleared. For the third time, highly recommend everything we ordered for dinner. Dessert. Oh my gosh, dessert. Bourbon banana pudding. I am NOT a banana lover, or a pudding lover, but oh my gosh, this dessert was to DIE FOR. It was served with home made waffles and Nilla wafers for dipping, and topped with flambé whipped cream. Seriously guys, if you go to Soco for ANY reason- GET THIS DESSERT. Our server Brian let us know that executive chef Greg Richie was served banana pudding growing up as a reward for being good, and this dish is his spin on that childhood memory. Obviously Soco has won me over. The service was fast and impeccable, and you can tell the servers really care about the food they are serving and the stories they are telling. The food is delicious (don't be afraid to try new things!), and the atmosphere is modern yet warm and welcoming. I'm looking forward to sharing this gem with friends and family and to becoming a regular at Soco.
(5)Mike M.
I'd give this 3.5 stars if possible. Based on the food, it's 4 stars, IMO, but the service was 3 stars. Met some friends for dinner on Saturday night. Arrived early to enjoy a drink at the bar and get a feel for the place. Our timing was perfect as there were 2 empty seats so we grabbed them. Problem number 1 was the period of time it took for us to be acknowledged by the bar staff. We waited 5 or 6 minutes before anyone greeted us, which isn't the end of the world by any means, but what type of service is to be expected from an establishment like this? Top notch service? I'd assume so based on the variety and price point of their bar menu. Also keep in mind, there were 5 people working behind the bar, I'm assuming one bartender made drinks for the patrons in the restaurant and the remaining 4 bartenders serviced the bar area. The bar area isn't huge, maybe 25 barstools, so the ratio of bartenders to patrons is comfortable, even if they are making "hand crafted" drinks. Enough about the bar service. SOCO offers a great selection of bourbons and whiskeys as well as craft beer. I don't drink mixed drinks, but the bar was pumping them out left right and center. I agree with other yelpers, the drinks are spendy, but I guess that's the price of exotic cocktails these days. We enjoyed the cheese platter while waiting for the other half of our group and it was excellent. The food runner couldn't identify the cheese variety (he knew the easy ones) and when we initially inquired about the cheese selection with the bartender, he explained it changes all the time. Ok, good to know. Let's blindly order a $16 cheese platter and hope for the best. In this instance it didn't bite us but the staff should know which 4 cheeses are being presented. We were seated in a very small 4 top near the bathroom right around the time of our reservation. The table should be bigger, particularly when they serve small plate food on large plates. Again, nitpicky but we made it work. On to the food. Our half of the table ordered the cornmeal crisped oysters, the pork belly biscuits, the baby romaine with soft fried egg, and the pork chop entree. As a table, we split the mac and cheese which is easily the best dish we ordered collectively. Other side of the table had the steak tartare, shrimp and grits ravioli, and the meatloaf. Despite what other reviewers have mentioned, I think the entrees are very fairly priced. The oysters paired with a crunchy chicharrone was a good starter as well as the pork sliders. I found the steak tartare, while slightly heavy handed on the truffle oil, maybe the best small plate we ordered. Steak tartare portion is generous but they don't bring enough bread/crustini, so ask for more. The baby romaine with soft fried egg was absolutely exceptional. Pork Chop entree was good and served a little pink, so if you don't like it that way, try something else. Dessert. I was excited about the french press. Our server suggested the brazilian roast and it was outstanding. We settled on the chocolate cake and potato chip as well as the salted caramel. I liked both desserts but the chocolate cake wasn't well received on the other side of the table. We had to wait 15-20 minutes for our desserts to arrive, at which time the coffee was already consumed. The server stopped by and apologized for the wait. We'd contemplated canceling dessert and asking for the check as we were all ready to go but we opted to stay. A hostess/manager delivered our desserts and offered us some sparkling wine which we accepted. The sparkling wine and desserts were comped. It was a nice gesture but if I have my choice of a better dining experience versus free stuff, I'd rather the former. All in all, I think the food was in the 4 star realm but the experience was tainted by the service. We walked out the door $150+/- lighter and for that money, service needs to be spot on. I think I'll give SOCO another try for happy hour and explore more of the menu.
(3)James S.
A very good dining experience. The chicken and dumplings were amazing. The corbia was slighty fishy. More diversity is needed on the menu along with more salad options. Great bar area.
(4)Dr Romie M.
*Please note I would have given this restaurant a 4.5 starts, but I have a problem with my bill, double charges, and unresolved issues despite being assured everything was resolved. I made reservations at this restaurant for a special occasion of an important friend. We were warmly greeted at the door by an enthusiastic manager who gave us the history of the chef, the restaurant, and what inspired the menu. The cuisine is wonderful and worth the higher price point they charge. My salad of fried green tomatoes and pickled okra was delicious. We ordered seafood entrees of pecan crusted red snapper and cast iron seared arctic char. Both were delicious. Gluten free options on the menu as well. At the end of the evening I was presented a bill that appeared to be double what I expected the charges to be, but did not want to cause a scene in front of my guest. I mistakenly signed the bill, and the waiter did come back 10 minutes later admitting they made a mistake (put two tables' charges on my bill). He assured me that the initial charge was voided out and presented me with my new bill. I checked my credit card statement today and both charges are on my bill. I am not sure if this is inexperienced staff at a new restaurant or a faulty accounting system. I am now left in a pickle trying to dispute the charges with my credit card company- something I don't have time for or enjoy doing. I hope they work out their problem with inexperienced staff/computer programs/etc. Given my problems, I am not sure I would return again. The menu is great, but there are planty of other high end dining options in Orlando with better organization.
(3)Kathy K.
Great location, unique menu and great service. Only the bar serves happy hour so that's the downside.
(4)Josh L.
We had a nice date night, all three small plate appetizers came out within 5 minutes which was too fast. The pork belly biscuits were fine but not great. The chicken and dumplings were incredible, and the scallop crudo was refined but the soy sauce dominated the other flavors.The service was great, our server was attentive and on the ball. We ordered both the meatloaf and the cauliflower steak. Both were a little too salty. Great service and cocktails, but slight miscues on the food. I will come back one more time for sure.
(3)Michelle H.
Ask for Felicia to be your server. Cool new concept for downtown Orlando. I live in the dt area and am stoked to have a new place to enjoy good dining. Our server: Felicia.... And by her name, not what you might be expecting. She was a southern girl who at some points I thought might have been a paid actor bc of how good she was. A+ service and recommendations! Order: chicken and dumplings (small plate) it was awesome. An absolute must Reconsider Ordering: Tuna Tartare (I am a huge tuna tartare person however at this place stick with the southern contemp theme) Order: the duck entree (phenomenal and different from my usual ordering habits) Order: banana pudding (dip the waffles in it... As Felicia encouraged!) Side Note: I'm in the hospitality industry, so the service is what made this experience. The food was great but of course our selections were dictated by our server and she was well educated on her suggestions.
(4)Barbara W.
Excellent food, wonderful service and ambience. My brother was visiting over the weekend and we showed up Saturday night without a reservation. They managed to seat us in the lounge area and it was hopping. Lots of dressed-up people out for a nice dinner. My brother is SUPER picky about food and he loved his fish (something unusual-sounding -- I don't remember the name of it). He complimented the general manager in a very good way saying it was on a par with Gallitoire's (sp?) in New Orleans. I wasn't that hungry, so I got the alleged chicken and dumplings small plate. It was too dark to see it, but it was better than any "chicken and dumplings" I've ever known. Lobstery and delicious. Helpful hint: Take your reading glasses and a small flashlight if you're over that certain age. :-) It's dark.
(5)Ronald N.
Great food and friendly attentive service. The inventiveness of the menu wows the taste buds. The grilled meatloaf on lobster mashed potatoes is a must try. Also the honey rye sour started off a perfect evening.
(5)Kristen M.
My fiancé and I decided to go out and celebrate for a new job I had just accepted and Soco was our first choice after hearing only good things about the place. Good is the understatement of the century. Our service was AMAZING! Felicia took great care of us and answered all our questions about the menu. One of the chefs, Craig, also came out to ask us how everything was and explain some of the dishes to us. The chicken and dumplings were ON POINT. I would recommend this place to anyone for any occasion!!!
(5)Bill P.
Menu is awesome! Scott and Christian are the best!! My new favorite in Orlando!!! SoCo rocks!!!!
(5)Liza S.
I travel all around the country for work and am very fortunate to dine at the best restaurants. On a recent visit to Orlando I decided to walk into Soco and ask about dessert. The hosts described the Potato Chip Crusted Chocolate Cake Peanut Brittle, Salted Caramel and I couldn't resist. I asked to be seated in the bar area which she promptly sat me in a corner table. My server was Felicia and she was very attentive to my requests. The Potato Chip Crusted Chocolate Cake was divine and the glass of port complimented the dessert. While I sat enjoying the dessert a couple of employees asked if I needed anything so the staff overall was awesome! Chef Greg Richie came over to introduce himself to me which I thought was very thoughtful of him to take the time to greet a guest. Thanks to all especially Felicia for making my dining experience a world class adventure.
(5)B H.
Best new spot in Orlando! The watermelon cocktail is fantastic - not too sweet and very refreshing. Highly recommend. The chicken and lobster dumplings are to die for (is it wrong that I wanted to put in a second order?) I was taken aback by some of the dishes at first because many featured bacon or ham, but I found out practically every item can be requested without the meat (ie mac and cheese without bacon, turnip soup without ham, etc). I thought that was great, and the cauliflower steak is the best vegetarian entree I've ever had. Really unique and delicious. Dessert also rocks - potato chip chocolate cake and banana pudding are my favorites. Runners-up include th salted caramel ice cream and the spice cake. I've been here many times already because I live downtown, and the food is consistently good. Can't wait for SoCo to start serving brunch!
(5)Jenna U.
Absolutely fantastic from the atmosphere to the food and service. I highly recommend the chicken and dumplings appetizer. Will be returning again and again!
(5)Lissa B.
Was truly impressed from the moment we arrived. Warm inviting welcome from the hostess front desk. Lovely intimate bar--great infusions and creative recipes. Our server was attentive and the food was delicious. The lobster chicken and dumplings are a must! The General Manager was great- he visited with our table and was super nice as well. Tried the warm berry crisp with vanilla ice cream for dessert. All I can say is that I can't wait to return. Not a lot of restaurants in Orlando that hit it on all marks for food and service. This is a welcome addition to our community.
(5)Chasten F.
The #1 worst restaurant experience I've ever had. Reservations for 8:30 weren't ready so we ordered a round at the bar. At 9 we inquired to be told the paid table wouldn't leave. At 9:15 we suggested they take care of the us given that we had reservations (which we shouldn't have needed to suggest). At 9:20 they brought a cold and dry lobster ravioli and we asked for another round of drinks. No drinks for 1/2 hour. At 9:45 they offered to seat us. We explained that we were ready to leave and asked to speak with the GM. Mark W, the GM, then argued with us about why we weren't taken care of even though something out of their control happened. This was an OpenTable reservation and the second we walked out, they canceled the reservation so we couldn't leave a review. Despite a very helpful wait staff, the GM was terrible. He could have saved it but his argumentative and defensive attitude forced us to leave.
(1)Troy G.
Another amazing experience from Soco. Great neighborhood vibe with a sophisticated atmosphere. Bartenders were so incredibly patient and helpful. They tasted us on 3 different reds before we settled on a bottle of the Catena Cab. Good variety of wines without going to the land of ridiculousness. Scott, our server, was spot on...again! He took care of us the last time we visited. He's so knowledgeable, you'd think he created the very dishes he described. James Mann, the General Manager, was amazing. He greeted us in the lobby upon entry and saw us through our entire experience, checking on us and others appropriately. It's nice to see someone in control of that dining room. What a great addition to this operation! Between and lively bar scene, outstanding service (Scott), and a well managed front of the house (James); coupled with some of the best food downtown, Soco has earned a spot on my list of regular spots. I can't wait to return!
(5)Chris B.
No draft beer, Really? All of your competition has draft beer. $12 cocktails that are essentially infused liqueurs or syrups? Where's the actual mixology/craftsmanship expected in this price range? The tartare left me tasting and breathing truffle oil for the next 24 hours. Everything seems poorly executed and pretentious with inflated prices due to the neighborhood and the atmosphere. After the novelty wears off, this place will need to either drop their prices or up their game or this will be another closed restaurant. There are too many other options downtown or in Winter Park with far a better product in the same price range.
(1)Dayna H.
The decor and atmosphere of the place was inviting, but the food was a complete disappointment. Over-chefed and very heavy. The service was below average. Rigid policies of no substitutions, only eliminations. Not customer oriented. We were 4 people and the conclusion was unanimous. We won't be going back.
(2)J P.
Very disappointed. Poor service and poor food. Had an 8pm res, not seated till 8.45. Steak was undercooked and chewy.
(1)Brendan D.
New restaurants always have links but at the heart of it if you have good food and good service you can overlook a lot. Sadly for SoCo they have neither. Went the other night for dinner after hearing some good buzz and was treated really poorly. Ridiculous wait even with a reservation (Almost an hour and a half) and staff just shrugged and said nothing we can do. Do yourself a favor skip this one.
(1)greg w.
Wonderful food and service. I have no clue on the drinks we had but they were strong and good. We made a reservation on a Friday night a weeks ago and we were actually late by a few minutes and they were so nice. The Manager came over to check on us a few times which was a really nice touch. Looking forward to trying brunch next weekend when I am in town.
(5)Alex R.
My husband and a group of our friends made reservations for dinner at SoCo on New Year's Eve. My husband and I are both Southern on both sides of our families for many generations, so we were excited to try a Southern fusion restaurant a few blocks from our house. Sadly, our New Year's Eve dinner was a pricey disappointment. The beautifully designed restaurant had a warm and welcoming ambiance, and a thoughtful hostess at the front desk used "ma'am" and "sir" to make us feel right at home when we entered. We made reservations in advance, and we were seated upon entry without any wait at all. As we walked to our table, I did find it curious that many of the inside tables and all of the outside tables were empty... The person we spent the most time with from the restaurant was our waiter, and he lacked the same Southern hospitality as the hostess. He seemed so unhappy to be serving us that we all felt awkward asking him questions about the menu. Since we were first-time patrons, we expected him to be a bit more helpful and attentive. We ordered drinks first. I got the Watermelon Cooler which was very light and refreshing. Unfortunately, my cocktail was the highlight of my entire dining experience. One of our friends ordered a beer but was served something completely different. Our waiter was so brusque that we all felt uncomfortable pointing out the beer mistake to him. Two friends ordered the Fried Green Tomatoes as well as the Buttermilk Biscuits as appetizers for the table. The Fried Green Tomatoes arrived promptly and were delicious! For our main courses, we all salivated over the incredible-sounding menu options. The Carolina Fluke dish sounded so good with its pecan crust and lemon butter sauce, but after a few bites, I was disappointed by the complete lack of taste. "Bland" is the best word to describe my meal. My husband was similarly disappointed. He ordered steak and potatoes, a Southern staple. His Chicken Fried New York Strip Steak was so rare that it left large, soppy red puddles all over his plate. The garlic mashed potatoes were not seasoned, and my husband commented that I made much better mashed potatoes than the ones on his plate (!!!). Sadly, our friend with the wrong beer had the worst dining experience out of all of us. He ordered the pork chop, but his food was so undercooked that he could not finish it. Finally, the "appetizer" biscuits arrived with our main course, so we had to take them to go. As our group left, we began walking to our cars. One by one, we began complaining about our respective dishes. After getting so excited about the dining experience, and especially after paying so much money, we felt guilty complaining about the restaurant. By the time we got to our vehicles, however, we were all admitting we would never go back to SoCo. My husband and I only splurge $100 on dinner for very special occasions. We were expecting SoCo to be, at the very least, a yummy meal. Even if $100 is your typical date night price point, we can agree that this cost should include good food. Certainly a trendy restaurant is exciting, and it's fun to play with Southern dishes to transform them into something new and contemporary. That said, the food has to taste good. If an entire table leaves with complaints, it's time to reconsider what's happening in the kitchen. This morning, I texted all of my friends to warn them about my negative dining experience, and, as you can see, I just wrote my first Yelp review. SoCo is that bad. I wouldn't want anyone I care about to waste money at that place. Fortunately, Orlando does have many delicious restaurants, and if you're looking for Southern food in particular, I highly recommend that you check out Cask and Larder.
(2)Joshua S.
Perfect date night... For a new place they really have it together. They did a complete renovation at this restaurant and a complete renovation on the food. Very well put food and wine menu. our server was very knowledgeable, and a great server as well as very southern. We got the duck and It was unreal(in an amazing way). French press coffee at the table and salted caramel ice made in house topped off the night. Definitely coming back
(4)Jacqueline G.
This was absolutely the best dining experience i've ever had. Everything we tasted was exceptional and i personally loved the unique menu. I questioned at first would I like a "cauliflower steak" but when it came and I took my first bite, I was sold! If i lived in Orlando, i would be a regular - the food is exceptional.
(5)Madai M.
Delicious. Service both at the bar and table was excellent. Will be back to try their brunch. Meatloaf with the lobster mashed potatoes was da bomb. As for a cocktail white julep all the way.
(4)Jarah C.
Went with a group, had the pork belly sliders and dumplings. Both were amazing! Had the meatloaf with lobster mashed potatoes and andouille sausage gravy. Every item on the plate was awesome! For dessert, we sampled the sweet corn ice cream but I wound up choosing the chocolate cake with ganache crusted with potato chips on a bed of salted caramel, great sweet with salty combo! The watermelon cooler was the best drink. The best part was the service- Bryan was amazing!!! Go now!
(5)Dee T.
Excellent menu, decor, staff. I'm very excited that this place opened. The atmosphere is wonderful and the food is even better. I recommend the chicken and dumpling small plate and potato chip crusted chocolate cake for dessert.
(5)