I’ve lived in Orlando for many years, and I had never visited this restaurant. Crazy right? Something so close yet so far.
Christner’s Prime Steak And Lobster, previously known as Del Frisco’s, has been a staple in the Orlando area for many years. The name change was just that, a contractual decision. The family-run business is still in place. I like reading the history of restaurants, classic and new. The history of Christner’s, with owners David Christner, his mom, Carole, father Russ, I recommend reading. This is an amazing family, where mom and son continuously bring class and ambiance to the dining experience.
It’s April 18th and we are celebrating Steve’s birthday. I decided to take him to Christner’s Prime Steak & Lobster for dinner. Christner’s offers professional service in an intimate setting. Let me tell you about our personal experience.
We arrived a little before our reservation that evening. As you can see, we wanted to take a few pictures for my blog. Entering the restaurant, we checked in at the host stand. The lobby was amazing.
Even though we were early, for our 6:00 pm reservation, the hostess immediately escorted us to our table. As we walked through the dining area to our table, my eyes didn’t want to miss a single detail.
We were seated at our table and the host explained that our server was not in yet, but that wasn’t going to interfere with our evening. They introduced us to Scott, who’d be filling in for David.
David was recommended to us through close family friends. When I made the reservations, I asked if it was possible to have a particular server, and they checked to see if he was scheduled that evening, and he was scheduled, so that was perfect.
Scott was so professional, hospitable and welcomed us graciously. He started out by getting us our cocktails and explaining in detail about the menu. I had a few questions about certain items they offered and his detailed knowledge of the menu was on point.
Scott introduced us to David as he passed the baton over without a hitch. We talked and got to know David. Friendly and knowledgable, David took us on a ride we’ll never forget.
We started out with a crab cake as our appetizer. Can I tell you something, this crab cake was so luscious and sweet. It definitely was the best crab cake I’ve ever had. Next, was our entrée and sides. A 22 ounce USDA Prime Strip for two, Chateau potatoes ( their signature potato dish), and sauteed mushrooms.
The meal was served tableside. Steve had never experienced tableside service. I loved watching the expressions on his face. I really think our choices on the side dishes paired well with the steak.
Another surprise for us was when Dan, the sommelier, came by our table. Dan was told I was a food blogger. We talked about my passion for food and my love for cooking. He asked me if I’d like to see where the wine was kept, I said, “yes I would, that would be amazing!”. Wines that needed to be stored at a certain temperature were kept in these large coolers.
Two final and really awesome experiences. The first was dessert! Orange Cake (their signature dessert) with a scoop of orange ice cream. Small bits of mandarin oranges throughout a velvety luscious vanilla ice cream. The cake was so delicious it just melted in your mouth. SO YUMMY!
A beautiful sight that brings out the inner child in all of us. Thank you so much to the staff giving Steve a birthday he’ll always remember. The last final surprise of the night was so unexpected. The owner (saloon keeper), David Christner came to our table. We talked about the restaurant and my food blog. Much to my surprise, he found the time, on this busy evening, to take me on a complete tour, with a little backstory about the addition to the restaurant. Here’s a peek of my tour.
Well, that’s the end of a perfect birthday celebration. If you’re in the Orlando area, visit Christner’s Prime Steak And Seafood Restaurant. The 2018 Orlando Sentinel Foodie Award for best filet and cold water lobster tail.
For more information visit https://christnersprimesteakandlobster.com/
