Evelyn's — Restaurant in Fort Lauderdale

So mixed reviews here. I have been wanting to try Evelyn’s for a while and was reminded this week when I saw them in Dine Out Fort Lauderdale. I was on the beach for a conference so I thought that it was the perfect time to try.

It was a bit difficult to find, however, the hotel staff were helpful directing me to the elevators to the 3rd floor where the restaurant lives.

I was greeted pleasantly by the bartender and then the hostess collected my first and last names even though I told her that I was not a hotel guest which I found odd.

I was served water and menus quickly as I was seated at a lovely table with a view of both ocean and pool.

My server approached and asked if I had dined there before and proceeded to explain that the menu is Mediterranean focus while the chef also incorporates locally sourced food. He suggested the wagyu skewers and the side of broccolini.

The food arrived promptly with a great presentation that I will include in a video. The broccolini was perfectly grilled and served over a smooth hummus and delightful. The wagyu skewers were a bit over flavored with BBQ and although I had ordered them medium rare it was extremely rare. I would prefer under cooked to over cooked so I muscled through it but my server did not come to check in a timely manner for me to send back to cook further. I was half finished when he finally approached and said he would relay it back to the chef. He did not initially offer to take it back for another but when he did, I declined since I was half finished and I just cut around the raw portions. It might have been prudent to offer something like dessert for the inconvenience.

Overall, it was a pleasant lunch but for price point, I do expect a bit more.

I did enjoy it based on the atmosphere and food could have been much better but I could perhaps try again. The menu had some...

Really enjoyed dinner at this approachable, upscale, and creative spot. For me, the highlights of the meal were the grand mezze spread, the wagyu kibbeh nayeh, the batata harra, and the tropical fruit pavlova.

Tried a few other dishes too including the fig fattoush, the swordfish skewer, the wagyu skewer (cooked perfectly!), and a bite of the tajine. These dishes were also really delicious for me, lots of layered flavors and textures.

Our group chose to sit outside and enjoy the rare cool weather and the patio was lovely. The interior is nicely decorated as well. The restaurant is located on the third floor and there’s nearby street parking or the option to valet.

I felt like the prices were fair for the quality of the ingredients, the skill of the dishes, and the restaurant’s presence in this kind of hotel. It’s clear that a lot of care went into our meal. There are a lot of vegan items on the menu, many of which we ordered, that I didn’t even realize were vegan because they were just as flavorful and filling as any other dish.

There’s also a full bar with a sizable menu of wines, whiskies, scotch, mixed drinks, and some beers.

Our server was excellent, pacing the meal beautifully. Everyone we interacted with was so kind and welcoming!

Side note about the pavlova: it is so tough for me to find pavlova down here! It’s an airy New Zealand dish (though there’s mostly lighthearted contention in that Australians claim the dish too) that’s the perfect end to a meal. It’s sweet and flaky and I always assumed it was impossible to make in Florida’s humidity. But they have it on the menu here, and it feels just like the pavlova I’ve had outside of Florida. SO airy and perfect.

I think this is a great spot on the beach for an upscale meal that’s not too stuffy. For folks in search of a vegan meal, I’d definitely...

When you think of a restaurant in a hotel, you immediately wonder about the quality of the food, service and expectations of the experience.

However, when you dine at a Four Seasons restaurant, that assumption is dismissed.

Evelyn’s is an eclectic mix of Mediterranean cuisine built on a menu that is as diverse as the United Nations.

Head Chef Brandon Salomon has taken the helm of this new restaurant and created a vibe that transcends the palate to levels of Michelin star quality. Every detail and execution is simply perfection.

We started off with drinks and dove right into the menu.

JERUSALEM BAGEL with Urfa-Thing Seasoning, STONE-FIRED PITA with Extra Virgin Olive Oil (GF Option Available). The bagel and pita made in-house and cooked to perfection.

This was paired with the GRAND MEZZE - Smoked Eggplant, Charred Red Pepper, Classic Hummus, House-Pickled Vegetables. TIP - ask for shaved truffles and oil on the hummus for an over-the-top experience.

For our meal, we selected a variety of small plates to share around the table.

YELLOWFIN TUNA “NAYEH” - Puffed Bulgur, Pickled Vegetables, Harpke Farm Gem Lettuce, OLIVE WOOD-SMOKED OCTOPUS - Vadouvan Carrot Purée, Carrot Crumble, Preserved Lemon, and the WAGYU BEEF KIBBEH - Key Lime Tzatziki.

Next up was Wood-Smoked Skewers.

AUSTRALIAN WAGYU BEEF - Date Barbecue, Red Chili Shug, and the CHERMOULA VEGETABLES - Halloumi, Preserved Lemon Gremolata

And we ending the extravaganza with desserts.

DARK CHOCOLATE PAVE - Halva, Black Sesame Ganache, Tahini Shortbread, Grey Sea Salt, Almonds, TROPICAL FRUIT PAVLOVA - Passion Fruit-Banana Cremeux, Guava Citrus Sorbet, Mango, and the CARDAMOM DONUTS - Rose Syrup, Vanilla Diplomat.

The pictures are worth a thousand words…

Evelyn’s is truly a dining experience and highly...