Laudy Bar - Craft Kitchen & Cocktails — Restaurant in Fort Lauderdale

So last night we ventured out to celebrate J's first day of work at a new job and after lots of recommendations we chose Here and Now in Fat Village downtown Ft Lauderdale courtesy of a friend's recommendation that she heard great reviews on the place...

It did not disappoint!!!

Very cool and well thought out craft drinks.. I had The Mrs. Doubtfire and a Lucky 7...both super yummy...

We stuck with getting some of their amazing small plates (appetizers)...

First off was a DELICIOUS Spinach Artichoke Dip which I have to say was the BEST I've ever had!

Next we had their Mac n Cheese ... options to add Chorizo or Chicken and it's made to order... we chose Chorizo... delicious but takes a little time since it's made to order... no chunks of chorizo...they combine it into the cheese sauce...

Last we had their stuffed mushrooms... fantastic.. 2 large portobello caps overloaded with yummy stuffings and hardly any breading as a filler.

The atmosphere is chic and industrial all at the same time while still feeling warm and inviting.... the pricing is a little more than moderate but in line with the quality of food and liquor and service.

Open kitchen so you can see what's going on and a wide variety of specialty liquors...

Contact free menus via a QR CODE and masks worn by all.

Our bartender was Quinn and she was VERY attentive and helpful in suggesting items with it being our first time there!

Overall... great great night and perfect for a semi-quiet date night....there were a couple of booths of some fairly loud customers but they were just enjoying their Friday night out.

Check it out if you get a chance... you won't be disappointed....

*side note.... there is not much parking and the metered spaces are $0.25 for 5 minutes!!! Make sure you have LOTS OF CHANGE... also... for covid reasons I guess there is a sign at the hostess stand that says 2 hour MAX...

TL;DR: this place deserves our support as they regroup and rebuild after what was probably a difficult couple of years. They can improve, of course, but there’s a lot of good here for the neighborhood, with room to grow.

Great atmosphere and friendly staff. Excellent happy hour prices for relatively good cocktails.

Pre-pandemic, we had the short rib and the chicken thigh. Both were delicious.

We recently had a bruschetta and it was very soggy, featuring only some tomato and way too much vinaigrette.

With mostly entree-sized menu items like Mac & Cheese, burgers, sandwiches, and wings, I wouldn’t call this place (“modern, innovative”) tapas as they would describe it. I would be happy to see this chef really OWN those adjectives and take the menu further in that direction.

it is more like traditional American fare with some international embellishments. I might even call it a gastropub (as a compliment).

There is a lot of improvement potential when it comes to the overall experience. Upskill the staff: FOH training on steps of service and prioritizing tasks, setting up in a timely manner to avoid scrambling at 5:30pm to set up the bar. There can also be more quality control in the kitchen, in terms of both presentation and taste.

It was a 3 star review, but the kitchen staff made a huge impression by being present and open, smiling and waving at us when we made accidental eye contact. It makes a huge difference to see people in the kitchen enjoying themselves and still making moments with the guests, especially in...

I am giving this place 4 stars because I believe it has potential, but it is not a 4 star location yet. My first impression is that it is a really nice inviting space, plenty of tables and room at the bar, good background music, and friendly staff. However, this is a high end tapas bar charging Las Olas prices, without being on Las Olas. As a FAT village resident, I was excited for this place to open as I was really looking for a cool new hang out spot where I could grab a quick lunch or meet up with friends for an inexpensive happy hour. I know they are starting a happy hour with drink specials and I applaud them for that! But the food prices are outrageous. An 8oz burger with nothing but lettuce, tomato, onion and cheese on a brioche is $15.95, even during lunch hours! For that price the thing better have truffles, exotic cheese, and bacon wrapped in gold on it. I can't really speak to the quality of the food because I only had the lamb lollipops, which were good but didn't blow me away. I couldn't afford to try anything else lol. I will definitely come back for a happy hour drink, but I won't be getting food again unless the prices come down or they put out a cheaper lunch/happy hour menu. Please cater to your location Here & Now! The young professional, beer loving, dog owning, downtown loving people making barely enough to afford the astronomical prices of rent in the area crave a new hang out spot! Not another expensive restaurant for special occasions only please and...