15 Best Fine Dining Restaurants in Fort Lauderdale
Looking for a gourmet dining experience that takes you out of your comfort zone? Time to raise your standards!
There’s no need to settle for mediocre food when you can enjoy fine dining at its best in Fort Lauderdale.
From farm-to-table restaurants to steak houses with European flair, this coastal city offers something for every taste.
Put your Netflix subscription on standby and make a night of it if you want to try them all. We won’t judge.
Don’t miss out on these 15 amazing restaurants for the best fine dining in Fort Lauderdale!
1. Boatyard
Have lunch, dinner or brunch at Boatyard – fine dining in Fort Lauderdale that redefines with marina views.
Done up in upscale nautical-chic style, the waterfront venue features a patio lounge that overlooks the Intracoastal Waterway and a dock-and-dine space.
‘Eat Local, Be Coastal’ dictates the seafood menu. The raw bar and daily catches are highlights, but premium steaks are available too.
Options range from conch fritters and tuna nachos to Captain’s Seafood Tower and grilled octopus. Vegan dishes are offered as well.
2. Seasons 52
Seasons 52 opens up with high ceilings, creating an airy environment for this fresh grill and wine bar.
Live piano music and patio dining make it an ideal date night spot or brunch venue for special holidays.
The reasonably priced menu works with seasonal ingredients to produce a rotating set of dishes.
Sourcing locally, the entrées and appetizers run from salads to crab cakes, with plenty of fire-grilled and oven-roasted bites.
The mains are decidedly American, filet mignon and seafood plates taking the spotlight. The service is impeccable.
3. Mastro’s Ocean Club
Mastro’s Ocean Club is another Fort Lauderdale fine dining restaurant perched along the Intracoastal Waterway.
Convenient yacht docking means you can step on and off your charter in minutes. Note that the dress code is strictly enforced; don’t show up in beachwear.
Live music and amazing service greet you at the door, followed by outstanding cocktails.
The sushi selection and seafood come highly recommended, as do the wagyu tomahawk chops and lamb racks.
Potato and sautéed vegetable dishes balance the meal.
4. Steak 954
The price tag may be hefty at Steak 954, but the quality is worth any price. W Hotel’s contemporary steakhouse delivers class with modern décor and amazing service.
With beach views during the day, and glimmering ocean at night – it’s the perfect choice for both brunch and dinner.
Admire the centerpiece reef aquarium and its jellyfish inhabitants, but don’t linger. The menu will demand your attention with dry-aged prime beef and wagyu cuts.
Seafood lovers praise their fresh catches too. Pair with your preferred wines and spirits.
5. Canyon Restaurant
For 25 years and counting, Canyon Restaurant seeks to reinvent fine dining over and over again.
The bistro sits between Laudergate Isles and Sunrise Key to offer an adventurous night out with fellow foodies.
Blending Southwestern fare with Asian, South and Central American influences, the menu varies between big and small plates.
The head chef imagines new appetizers frequently, a precursor to standout dishes such as shrimp and grits, filet mignon and rigatoni.
Dessert has to be its signature Chocolate Bread Pudding and Prickly Pear Margarita.
6. Blue Moon Fish Co.
The “Best Waterfront Dining in Fort Lauderdale” title by Zagat and Open Table isn’t handed over lightly; Blue Moon Fish Co. snatched it with its Cajun-flavored seafood cuisine.
We haven’t even mentioned its award-winning Sunday brunch, a decadent offering of carving stations, raw bar, dessert table and more wow moments.
Daily lunch and dinner feature deep sea scallops, shrimp linguini, Blue Crab and more marine-based fishes.
The robust beverage menu matches item for item. Don’t forget dessert either, as the key lime pie truly steals the limelight.
7. Capital Grille
The upscale steakhouse chain, Capital Grille, has brought muted elegance to Fort Lauderdale.
Carpeted floors and pendant lights create a cozy atmosphere for you to wine and dine with a partner.
In fact, it has become the local go-to for occasions thanks to consistent quality and service.
The floor-to-ceiling wine kiosk and its jaw-dropping selection draw attention. Then, the aroma of dry-aged steaks, hand-cut and cooked just right, cuts into your senses.
Some best eats include the Kona-crusted NY strip, lobster mac, parmesan-crusted salmon and tenderloin Cobb salad.
8. Casa D’Angelo
If romancing means Italian classics for you, Casa D’Angelo is a tasteful fine dining option in Fort Lauderdale.
Leather seats and dim lighting give this space a modern yet intimate vibe. Alternatively, enjoy a breezy meal on the patio.
Authenticity is dialed to 100% with ingredients imported from Italy.
Light, cheesy and flavorful appetizers set the scene for mains: bison cuts, homemade pasta, and veal chop Milanese being few. The wine? You have an entire book to peruse.
9. 3030 Ocean Restaurant
Spiffy up for an intimate evening at 3030 Ocean Restaurant.
Tucked away at Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa, it combines a carefully curated menu and candlelit setting for the ideal beachside dinner.
Led by a South Florida native, the team of chefs deliver house-smoked fish dips and grilled octopus alongside other ocean-based dishes.
To really impress, order the chef’s five-course tasting menu. Don’t forget to pick from its renowned wine list to complete the experience.
10. Burlock Coast Seafare & Spirits
Nothing screams fine dining like a restaurant in The Ritz-Carlton, although Burlock Coast Seafare & Spirits may not look like your usual suspect.
Inspired by the Prohibition era, the indoor-outdoor space carries a rustic chic aesthetic. You are, however, required to dress smart casual.
What else can you expect but seafood as the base? Dig into shellfish and complement with seasonal vegetables.
Happy Hour treats you to rum-based cocktails; the café, artisanal coffees and bread. Themed dining events take place on weekdays for extra flavor.
11. Morton’s The Steakhouse
Stay on the pulse of Fort Lauderdale’s nightlife by grabbing dinner just a block from Las Olas Boulevard.
Morton’s upscale chain houses a traditional steakhouse as its main body, while signature Mortini’s and bar bites are served at the outdoor patio.
Reserve your spot for perfectly cooked prime-aged beef and seafood, accompanied with steakhouse sides.
Many reviewers exclaim over the rib eye and salmon on a bed of greens; the lobster mac & cheese is a pleasant surprise.
Personalized birthday messages add a nice touch to the occasion.
12. Kaluz Restaurant
Also on the docks is Kaluz Restaurant, one of the best restaurants in Fort Lauderdale for entertaining friends.
Both the elegant indoor seating and outdoor patio boasts marina views, although our eyes stay riveted on the display kitchen.
The extensive menu caters to all preferences, whether you want to build your own course or gorge on flatbreads.
While appetizers and sandwiches reel you in with jumbo crab dips and Mahi Mahi tacos, entrées deliver Kaluz Danish ribs and filet kabobs.
Choose wisely, as tummy space is limited.
13. Wild Sea Las Olas
Begin your night out at Wild Sea Las Olas with a sneak peek of the vibrant shopping district.
Riverside Hotel hosts this contemporary restaurant in two parts: a trendy indoor space for quiet chats, and a sidewalk terrace for people-watching.
What makes it such a notable fine dining location is the budget menu. Breakfast entrées start at $7 – quite a steal.
But dinner is when the crowds flood in, ready for a seafood-centric celebration. Seared ahi tuna, cioppino stews and the raw bar are some local favorites.
14. Lobster Bar Sea Grille
Wooden flooring and white leather chairs give Lobster Bar Sea Grille a yacht-like feel. The luxury touches come in a U-shaped bar and beautifully tiled archways.
Fresh and the furthest thing from stuffy, this fine dining experience takes you out to sea. Likewise, seafood is displayed on ice and sometimes, still alive.
Specializing in whole fish and lobster, the kitchen offers wood-grilled entrées alongside ceviche and citrus-tinted starters.
Its Atlanta roots also result in a strong steak list and hand-crafted cocktails to pair with.
15. Eddie V’s Prime Seafood
The jazzy BGM of Eddie V’s Prime Seafood dwelling really sets the mood for your Fort Lauderdale night out.
We’d tell you to admire the bold artwork scattered throughout the elegant setting, but chances are, you’re too busy drooling over the food.
While the USDA prime beef and chops melt like butter in your mouth, the fresh seafood bar selections hold your taste buds hostage.
Definitely try the crab-stuffed shrimp and lobster! Other rave-able dishes include the truffle mac and cheese, Chilean sea bass, and steak tartar.
