Date night in Orlando: dinner hours from restaurants' own sites, the Dr. Phillips Center, comedy, swan boats, Leu Gardens' Dazzling Nights and Thornton Park.

Last checked Oct. 9, 2026. Hours come from each restaurant’s and venue’s own website, linked below; they change, especially on holidays, so book or check before you go. This is a list, not a ranking. Run an Orlando restaurant or venue that should be here? Tell us.

An Orlando date night can be dinner and a Broadway tour at the Dr. Phillips Center, improv on Church Street, a walk around Lake Eola under the skyline or a late table on Virginia Drive. Here are restaurants with their dinner hours, shows and evening ideas, all from the places’ own pages.

At a glance

  • Late kitchen: Santiago’s Bodega, kitchen open until midnight nightly
  • Show: Dr. Phillips Center, 445 S. Magnolia Ave.; SAK Comedy Lab, 55 W. Church St.
  • Walk: Lake Eola Park, open until midnight
  • Parking: downtown street parking free after 8 p.m. and on Sundays

Dinner

Restaurant Where Dinner hours, from its site
Kres Chophouse 17 W. Church St., downtown 11:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Monday to Friday; 5 to 11:30 p.m. Saturday; 5 to 10:30 p.m. Sunday
Santiago’s Bodega 802 Virginia Drive Opens 11 a.m. Monday to Friday and 10 a.m. weekends; kitchen closes at midnight nightly, drinks until 1 or 2 a.m.
Maxine’s on Shine 337 N. Shine Ave., Colonialtown Dinner 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday
The Osprey Tavern 4899 New Broad St., Baldwin Park 5 to 10 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday; 5 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday
Christner’s Prime Steak and Lobster 729 Lee Road Family-owned steakhouse; reservations 407-645-4443
Paxia 2611 Edgewater Drive, College Park Modern Mexican and a tequila bar; 407-420-1144
Canvas Restaurant and Market 13615 Sachs Ave., Lake Nona 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Thursday; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday
The Monroe 448 N. Terry Ave., Creative Village Restaurant and bar; reservations taken, 407-734-2102

Maxine’s on Shine also hosts dinner-theater nights; its calendar is on its site. The Osprey Tavern’s website has not been updated in some time, so call to confirm hours.

Shows and culture

  • Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, 445 S. Magnolia Ave.: touring Broadway shows, ballet, concerts and comedians, per the Downtown Development Board. The Orlando Ballet’s 2026-27 season includes Alice in Wonderland, Feb. 11-14, and Moulin Rouge, May 6-9, in Steinmetz Hall, the ballet says.
  • SAK Comedy Lab, 55 W. Church St., Suite 211, improv; box office 407-648-0001 (sakcomedylab.com).
  • The Plaza Live, 425 N. Bumby Ave., concerts and comedy; box office 407-228-1220 (plazaliveorlando.org).
  • Orlando Museum of Art, 2416 N. Mills Ave., open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday to Friday and noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday (omart.org).
  • Mennello Museum of American Art, 900 E. Princeton St., open Tuesday to Sunday and free on the second Sunday of every month (mennellomuseum.org).

More venues are on our live music and nightlife guide.

Evening ideas

  • Lake Eola. The park is open until midnight; the swan boats rent from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday, the city says.
  • Thornton Park 2nd Thursday Wine and Art Walk, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. on the second Thursday of the month: buy a wristband, map and tasting cup, then sample drinks and treats at local businesses, with artists and live music along the way (district calendar).
  • Craft cocktails. The Downtown Development Board points to Mather’s Social Gathering, “hidden behind an antique bookshelf,” and the basement bar The Dust, 431 E. Central Blvd., which is 21 and up and open until 2 a.m. (The Dust).
  • Laser shows. The Orlando Science Center’s Cosmic Concerts run one night a month in its dome (calendar).

Seasonal

  • Dazzling Nights at Leu Gardens, evenings Nov. 20, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027: lights, falling snow, music, and beer and wine for adults; separate ticket (Leu Gardens).
  • Valentine’s Day falls on Sunday, Feb. 14, 2027; see our Valentine’s Day page.

Getting there and home

Downtown street parking is free from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. and on Sundays, under the city’s on-street parking rules; city garages are $20 a day at most. The free LYMMO stops running at 8:25 p.m., so plan a ride share or a sober driver for later.

Related: brunch, downtown Orlando, free things to do and New Year’s Eve.

Frequently asked questions

What is a good date night in downtown Orlando?

Dinner downtown, then a show at the Dr. Phillips Center or improv at SAK Comedy Lab on Church Street, or an evening walk around Lake Eola. Street parking downtown is free after 8 p.m.

Which Orlando restaurants are open late?

Santiago’s Bodega on Virginia Drive keeps its kitchen open until midnight nightly, and Kres Chophouse on Church Street is open until 11:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, their websites say.

Is there a dinner theater in Orlando?

Maxine’s on Shine in Colonialtown hosts dinner-theater nights alongside its Wednesday to Saturday dinner service, its website shows.

What can couples do in Orlando during the holidays?

Dazzling Nights at Leu Gardens runs evenings Nov. 20, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027, with lights, falling snow, music, and beer and wine. It needs its own ticket.

Are the swan boats at Lake Eola open in the evening?

The city rents swan boats from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday; they are closed Mondays.