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October 23, 2025 • 12 Pages • Volume 23 • Issue 05
Celebrating 23 Years 2002 - 2025
Florida Room: Where Southern Comfort And Coastal Cool Meet
Celebrity Chefs Jeff McInnis And Janine Booth Debut Their First Broward County Restaurant At The Fort Recreational Complex
South Florida Sun Times
Oct 22, 2025
Anyone Seeking Further Proof That The Fort Lauderdale Food Scene Is En Fuego Need Look No Further Than The Arrival Of Husband-And-Wife Star Chefs Jeff Mcinnis And Janine Booth’s Newest Sensation, Florida Room. Situated Waterside At The Fort Recreational Center – A Gorgeous, Sprawling 9.5 Acre Sports And Entertainment Complex – Florida Room Signals (Finally) The Culinary Power Couple’s First Venture Into Broward County. Florida Room Opened To The Public On October 15th, Initially Serving Dinner Only And Will Surely Be A Welcome Addition To The City’s Booming Culinary Landscape; Offering The Couple’s Adored Globally-Accented Take On Southern American And Coastal Comfort Food As Well As A Bustling Indoor-Outdoor Bar Perfect For The Upcoming Winter Season. “We Envisioned Florida Room As The Perfect Spot For Affordable, Comfortable, Stress-Free Weeknight Dining, A Fun Family Dinner Or Drinks With Happy Hour Friends,” Says Mcinnis. “Naturally The Offerings Are Elevated By Technique And Made With The Best Ingredients Available But A Night At Florida Room Should Feel Familiar And Comforting In The Best Possible Ways.”
The menu is as expansive as the ocean and as generous as the serving sizes with close to 40 offerings, from salads (Grove + Garden) and appetizers (Small Plates + Shareables) to entrees (Larger Plates) and best if shared Favorites + Classics. It might be hard to pick once seated but future favorite meal starters that jump off the menu’s current itineration include: Crunchy Calamari Caesar; Wood Grilled Artichokes; Peaches n’ Cream (marinated and char-grilled peaches, shaved prosciutto; creamy stracciatella, basil, EVOO and sourdough toast): House-made Tater Tots with crème fraiche and caviar; Pimento Cheese with melted tomato and house-made focaccia and Lamb Sausage Rolls, among others.
Hearty delights from Larger Plates range from Short Rib Meatloaf (made with 48-hour braised wagyu beef); a 10 oz. Double Smash Burger with tallow fries; Spatchcock Chicken Under a Brick with potato cake, Mascarpone cream and shaved black truffle; and chili-lime dusted Yellowfin Tuna with miso sweet potato puree. Florida Room showstoppers will inarguably hail from the Favorites + Classics section, consisting of Double Buttermilk Crispy Fried Chicken; an 18 oz. Australian Ribeye, charcoal crusted and served with marrow butter and a trio of sauces, and Barbecued & Brûléed Smokey Ribs. A tempting array of Sides will pair well with everything/anything, from Creamy Corn Grits + Pimento Cheese and Chilled Watermelon + Pickle Salad to Rosemary Citrus Dusted Fries.
Irresistible Sweet Thangs include the chefs’ take on a classic Baked Alaska, torched tableside; Coconut Key Lime Pie; Passionfruit Buttermilk Panna Cotta, and a Chocolate Spumoni Tart with bourbon cherries. In development for later this year will be weekend brunch.
In keeping with its name and location, Florida Room’s color palette will be equal parts earthy sand and lush greenery, the 4,000-square-foot dining room features an indoor/outdoor bar, spilling out onto the patio deck on one side, overlooking one of The Fort’s awesome pickleball courts. Seating breaks down as follows: 100 inside; 100 outdoor and 45 in the restaurant’s private dining room. In addition to big flavors, Florida Room also offers big spaces perfect for everything from private dinners and banquets to full blown galas. In fact, housed above the restaurant is a 4,000-square-foot event space as versatile as anything in the market that is not a hotel ballroom.
Florida Room, is located at 891 Southwest 34th Street, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33315. Ample free parking available. Dinner will be served Wednesday, Thursday & Sunday from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Telephone: (954) 222-1965. Or visit: https://playthefort.com/.
Follow Florida Room on Social Media: @floridaroomftl
