Rodeo Restaurant & Martini Bar - Oakland Park/Wilton Manors, FL

 

Although Florida is in the far South, it lacks the sort of Southern hospitality that the South is known for. Yeah you can find some good Cuban food, Jamaican food and pretty much anything from a Caribbean island food, but it is often hard to find that real down home soul food. Well, by being introduced to Rodeo Restaurant & Martini Bar I think I have finally found that place. At Rodeo Restaurant & Martini Bar it is all about bringing thoughtful and ingenious Southern food to South Florida. They combine Southwestern, Tex-Mex, Barbecue, and Cajun/Creole cuisine to create some really amazing dishes.

The design of the restaurant is a take on the Southwestern style. Exposed stone walls and warm browns and black colored wood furniture decorate the place, while pentagrams and animals skulls hang from the walls. I almost wanted to run back home and get my cowboy boots and holster (if I actually owned any of those). The atmosphere was very chill and everyone seemed nice enough, but I didn't feel that genuine Southern Hospitality that I would expect at a place like this considering that is what their concept is based off. But, outside of looking at the service in the respect, everything was okay.

 
Their bar serves an array of cocktails, beers and wines. In addition to that they run different specials during the week such as Martini Wednesday when they have HALF OFF the martini menu! So naturally I had to stop by on a Wednesday and grab me a martini, a Lemon Drop Martini specifically. Very fresh, very refreshing, very delicious! I loved it, considering I am not a big fan of martini drinks.

 

The food here all sound so mouthwateringly good, from fried green tomatoes, mac & cheese, pulled pork, brisket, pecan chicken, shrimp & grits, and yes I could go on and on, but I wanted to go for something a little simpler so I went for the Southern BLT. Now this right here is not your ordinary bacon, lettuce and tomato. Okay, so the lettuce is ordinary (not romaine ordinary) but the bacon is not ordinary it is peppered molasses bacon and the tomato isn't either, it is fried green tomatoes. Nuff said! The bacon was out of this world good! Now I really like this sandwich because in all honesty, I am still thinking about it now, I just wish that the remoulade sauce was a little less tangy; it overpowered the flavor of the sandwich. The bacon and tomatoes had their own really nice flavors that could have been brought out more if not for the sauce.
 

The sandwich came with a choice of curly fries or sweet potato tater tots. I am sweet potato person so I had to go with the tots. I haven’t had many taters tots in my day, so when I think of tater tots I flash back to elementary school lunch. Those were not so good so I was a little wary, but these were effing awesome. My boyfriend who hates sweet potato fries of any kind, spend more time eating my fries than he did his. So yes, they were that good.

My boyfriend is a simple man that likes simple things and so he opted for the Cowboy Burger. The burger consists of BBQ sauce, chili-dusted bacon, fried onions and cheddar. I personally, didn't taste it because I was too into my food and forget to try his. By the time I even remembered to think about he was already done, so take from that what you will. I know I don't eat food I don't like especially that fast. He did say he liked it though and would come back to this place again.

 

I probably want to try about 90% of their menu so it’s a given I will be back, but knowing that they have brunch on the weekends, I would love to come back and try one of their luscious French toast!


Rodeo Restaurant & Martini Bar
2033 Wilton Drive Wilton Manors, FL 33305
(954) 537-9544
www.rodeofl.com