Simon Parrilla Longwood — Restaurant in Longwood

We visited Simon Parrilla on a Sunday with high hopes, but unfortunately, the experience fell short of our expectations. While we were seated promptly, it took an uncomfortably long time for anyone to approach our table. Although there were many servers on the floor, they seemed disorganized and scattered. At one point, two different servers attempted to take our order, indicating a lack of communication among the staff.

To start, we ordered the Guacamole with Tostones, which was fine but not particularly memorable. The Tequeños were good, but the Chicharrón was soggy rather than the crispy texture we were hoping for. As for the Maracuya Flavored Soda, it was surprisingly bland, lacking the vibrant flavor one would expect.

Our main dish, the Picadera for four, had its ups and downs. Though they asked how I wanted the meat cooked and I requested medium well, it arrived well done. The portions were generous, and the overall flavor was decent, but the overcooked meat was a letdown.

Dessert was perhaps the biggest disappointment. We ordered the tres leches, expecting a homemade touch, but it arrived in a plastic container, clearly store-bought. For a restaurant experience, this felt below standard.

Throughout the meal, we never felt sure who was responsible for our table. The server who initially took our order was busy attending to other tables across the restaurant, while two other staff members intermittently served us. We had to request basic items, like plates for appetizers, napkins, and drink refills multiple times, only to have one server forget entirely, forcing us to ask someone else.

When we received the check, we noticed an automatic 18% tip had been added, despite our party being just five people. This policy, which was not noted on the menu, caught us off guard. When I questioned the server about it, she claimed that all restaurants include gratuity for larger parties. I clarified that while some restaurants do add a gratuity, they always specify this on the menu. She then explained that their menus were new, to which I replied that they should be updated if that’s the case.

Including a mandatory tip can lead servers to feel they don’t need to go the extra mile. This was apparent in our experience, where the service was disorganized and inattentive.

Overall, our experience was disappointing and stressful. While we came with excitement, the service issues and lackluster food left us unsatisfied. Regrettably, I don’t think we’ll...

Very disappointed with the way the manager has handled the staff. The food is okay but I have had 3 events where we have had to return food because of bad taste and we ordered a picada that was set on the table with a fried hair. Yum right? Today we stopped by for lunch and unfortunately had to return the fish soup because it did not taste well. They were charging us the full price and we called the waitress over to discuss it she said we would still be charged regardless of the food being returned. She then got her manager but in between that time another waiter took it upon himself to bring us a flan and apologize. Keep in mind we never asked for this flan. The manager then comes and tells us she could give us rice to go or beans.. to compare a bowl of fish soup to rice OR beans is not fair so I told her that and she THE MOST she could do and it would be give us fried plantains. We said how much would it be for the fried fish that we did eat instead, she give us the price that was lower, we said okay and then she said she would just double our soup portion if we ever returned. She walked away and we got the SAME receipt back. Run back the whole conversation AND THEN she says well since you guys already got a flan (that we never asked for) we either pay full price OR we get the plate discounted and the WAITER would get the flan deducted from HIS paycheck because the waiters had to be taught a lesson to respect and ask before making these decisions. Long story short, it is not about quantity it is about quality and this is the 3rd and last time. As a Colombian, I am truly disappointed with this establishment. Colombia La Bella is about 7min away from this location and I would recommend going there first for some true Colombian cuisine before coming to...

After living in Colombia for 10 years, this is an excellent place for full authenticity. I went with the family to see Colombia qualify this evening for WC '26, and it was just like any great bar we've been in back in Colombia. So whether you're a homesick Colombian or just curious to see how hospitable and welcoming the Colombian people are, then you should just go and hang out here, get a bucket of beers, try everything on the menu and talk to people. I'm sure anyone will love it. I'm gonna mention one more thing which may be controversial to some... I'm not American, and so the tipping culture seems a bit out of control to me as a recent resident here in Orlando, I don't think it should be as high as what the social norm has allowed it to be (in excess of 20%). Patrons shouldn't be penalized on an expensive bottle of wine for example, when the server does the exact same 'work' whether it's a $10 bottle or a $200 bottle. So before I go offtrack... THIS bar have their tipping option percentages on the handheld card machine set as 3% 5% and 7%. Which was such a pleasant relief. I gave a custom amount for higher, for the first time ever, because I felt appreciated as a customer. This is another reason to love the Colombian culture, and this bar! They do the right thing all-round. I will defo be back to...