Russell's on Lake Ivanhoe

just had a wonderful Valentines dinner. This place is so beautiful and the staff is amazing.Thanks for making our night so special.Vivian Wood

I was looking for a restaurant in this area and selected Russell's. Make a reservation thru Open Door to ensure you are able to secure a table. Valet parking is available in a limited parking lot. Pretty location right off the lake. Large bar area with large dining area. Had table with a view of the lake. On this evening the restaurant was still offering Valentine's Day menu in addition to regular menu. Bread is served however since the restaurant had just opened for the evening it did take awhile to be brought to our table. The Bread was served warm with butter.Ordered: Oysters on the 1/2 shell which are served with a minuet sauce and NOT served with any kind of Cocktail/Hot Sauce or Horseradish. Only one type of Oyster is offered, thankfully the Oysters served this evening were medium sized.Zucchini Fritters ordered with a side of Ranch Dressing which is a bit watery. The Zucchini Fritters were nice golden brown however did have a small burnt taste, I attested to the blackened sesame seeds.Seared Scallops Pappardelle - subbed Broccolini for the pasta. The Scallops needed more seasoning and was suppose to be served with a Garlic Lemon Sauce which was brought to the table 1/2 way thru me eating my scallops and was just dropped off with no explanation so I had no idea what the sauce was for. It seemed I received far more broccolini than necessary.The Butcher's Cut Ribeye 16 oz - subbed Aligot Potatoes for the Seasonal Veggies. The Ribye was ordered medium-rare and came out looking like it was steamed and a lot more rare for my taste. Asked for the Ribeye to be cooked an additional couple of minutes.Our entree's seemed to have taken a longer time to be served then the rest of the diners who all came in together and a couple of tables finished just as we were served.Overall nice location but most likely will not return.

I don't even want to post this cuz then I wont be able to get a reservation at what I want to call MY new favorite spot! Anniversary dinner last Friday evening. We got dressed to kill and headed out with another couple.First the maitre d was very kind to help confirm that while they serve upscale cuisine, they are not stuffy, and except that Florida lifestyle. Sometimes demands more casual attire for dinner. Don't go looking like you're gonna play basketball, or fell off the back of a truck but casual clothes are accepted. Also, I was able to make the reservation online, which I love via the app. I'm pretty sure. I made it from Yelp via OpenTable, it is very easy to confirm and modify your reservation.The ambience is lovely. Don't worry about parking they have complimentary valet (this does not mean free it means tip those valet folks!). The wait staff were so accommodating to us as we were celebrating our anniversary and had a number of gifts for one another (more on this later). The dining room almost entirely overlooks Lake Ivanhoe. Our reservation was for 7 PM so the sun was going down and the view was very nice. After sunset you could see the lights on the surrounding city skyline sparkle in the distance. We sat at a four top and the dining room noise level was perfect for conversation.Now let's talk about the bar and food. We tried three mixed cocktail beverages and loved them all: the pineapple old-fashioned was strong with just the right amount of sweetness! The lavender lemonade was a slight modification to an existing drink on the menu and it was a hit as well. The final was the cucumber gimlet, a cucumber martini that sent me back about 15 years to my younger days of hanging in downtown Orlando and drinking cucumber martinis at ladies night happy hour on Orange Avenue at the vintage.Now for the food! For an appetizer, we tried the fresh warm bread and butter, which was to die for and zucchini fries with goat cheese dip. And zucchini fries were perfectly crunchy and not squishy in the middle and the goat cheese dip had the mild tanginess desired, but was smooth and creamy similar to a ranch dip. Four unique entrées were ordered: ribeye med well w their amazing take on mashed potatoes, duck con fit w spinach, chicken kiev with potatoes and a salmon w arugula and rice. All fourdishesweredeliciousbite after bite! No mods needed, the crowd went wild!!! We almost declined dessert for fear we drank our dessert in our refills of our beverages plus a couple Stella Artois thrown in for good fashion and we were plum full from our meals but we were persuaded easily into sharing a rasberry sorbet with two small macarons. The sorbet was so flavorful and felt less sinful since technically it converts to liquid and its fruit right?! . The macarons were much the same very light and just the right balance of sweetness but not lingering on your palate like a friend that has stayed too long.I have many reasons why this is my new fav place. for loving this place:1. Food selection and quality is awesome and the plates I saw going past me made me want to try other dishes Id already scoped on the menu.2. Prices are more than fair for what you get. My meal lasted as leftovers for a second pass and so did the others' meals as well except for the Salmon but he was hungry and shared it with us so not much was left....it was SO good. 2. Ambiance and Staff are A1. We left one gift bag by mistake and the staff found my reservation and called me offering for us to come get it even after hours while they were cleaning for the night or the next day at brunch.3. Its a beautiful space and very clean, even restrooms sparkled. Very florida decor passes the vibe check!Im sorry I don't have photos of the food and drinks as I was completely immersed enjoying the experience and the celebration with my people.

Service, location, and food were all great. Our bartender Harry was super friendly and attentive! Loved his energyWe started with the lobster soup (heavenly) the bread service and the pork belly. My only criticism is I wish the pork belly had more of the sauce - maybe tossed in it? Versus crispy pork belly on top of sauce at the bottom of the plate. It definitely needed the sweeter sticky sauce to coat the crispy pork. I could come back just for the lobster soup and bread combo. It's perfect. We sat down at a table overlooking Lake Ivanhoe. If you time it right, you can see a gorgeous sunset! We both got steak - a pepper crusted beef tenderloin and butchers cut ribeye. Both were served with a glaze and mashed potatoes. The cuts of meat were honestly fantastic - my tenderloin was sooo tender it almost melted in your mouth. It was a little under cooked then what I had ordered, but I made due. Now the bread pudding with the caramel whiskey glaze!? Out of this world. Definitely will be coming back for that as well.

We had a great first experience at Russell's. From the cocktails to the dessert, the entire meal was a delight. The best part was the view. The lake view was beautiful and offered for a romantic setting. We will definitely be back!

Russell's is a hidden gem for brunch lovers, combining a delightful menu with an inviting atmosphere. The brunch selection features a range of fresh, seasonal dishes, from perfectly cooked eggs benedict to fluffy waffles topped with seasonal fruit. Each dish is thoughtfully prepared, making it hard to choose just one!The service is exceptionally friendly, with attentive staff who go out of their way to ensure you have a pleasant experience. Whether you're a regular or a first-time visitor, they make you feel welcomed and appreciated.One of the highlights is the breathtaking lake view that adds a serene backdrop to your meal. It's the perfect spot to relax with friends or enjoy a leisurely Sunday morning. Overall, Russell's is a fantastic brunch destination that beautifully combines delicious food, warm service, and stunning scenery.

A great venue to hold an intimate private celebration, reception, company night etc. Wonderful friendly service and professionalism. Attended an intimate wedding celebration and was impressed all around.

You can't go wrong with a restaurant by the water! Views of the lake and sunset are always a nice experience. The service here is excellent- they check on you frequently and are very welcoming. I had the swordfish which was perfectly cooked. Tender and the butter sauce was like icing on a cake. Would definitely come again when in town.

Beautiful venue, went for brunch. I feel like this venue is good for group meals. There were only 4 tables filled in the dining area the entire time we were there and it just felt really hard to get timely service. There were long gaps in time between seating us, getting our drink orders, getting our drinks, ordering our food, and receiving our food. Several times during our brunch I found myself or someone in my party looking for the waitress. I ordered an omelette with fries which was good, my husband ordered a bun less burger which he enjoyed as well. I also tried a spicy raspberry margarita which was good heat-wise but lacking in raspberry flavor. I also tried the pineapple Mai tai which I enjoyed. Both drinks were strong in a good way. I'd probably only return for a cocktail in the future and eat somewhere else close by.

This place had so much promise. One simple mistake/laziness happened. I asked for no tomatoes due to an allergy. They brought my food out with tomatoes. I reminded them, they took the food back and brought me my food. Guess what? Tomatoes were in my dish (see picture). Scraping the tomatoes off my pita and returning it to me is so lazy and something a fine dining establishment shouldn't do. I had such high hopes considering the location, the service and the appetizers