Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants

We just love this place so very much. Excellent food and service! The short ribs risotto are a must! Great wine selection.

Cooper’s Hawk is quickly becoming one of my favorite restaurants. The food is great and they have some amazing house wines. My suggestion is to try them during Happy Hour.

This is a tough review.
We are wine club members. The wine is great. The service is USUALLY great. We’re here at least once a month for our wine tasting and at least appetizers. I’ll need to check in a lot more. I’m not new to reviews, but I’m new to checking in.
The Mexican drunken shrimp is great. My wife gobbles this up.
The free pretzel bread is awesome. I gobble this up.
But all of the other food options are so meh. Like really meh.
We noticed a few items are recently gone from the menu. Including those (we counted tonight for this review) we’ve tried almost 30 items on the menu. Of those, the drunken shrimp is the only item we’d give more than 2.5 of 5 stars to. It gets 5.
If you like pickled anything, they probably pickle it. Wow. Every item has something pickled on it. It’s like they belong to some secret Peter Piper Gang or something. It is too much and it’s not even very tasty.
Go for the wine, the service, and the drunken shrimp. Go somewhere else for a non-​pickled meal. It will probably be better.
Still the wine club and the positives I mentioned above pull it up to 4 stars.

The food here is great… they really nailed some of the Italian dishes better than so-​called Italian restaurants. The tomato bruschetta with prosciutto is out of this world.
The wine is pricey but I feel like you’re not getting the full «experience» without trying some wine. Check out the wine bar’s tasting menu.

I used to like this place but don’t go there anymore bc of the bad service. Take out is the worst. Unattentive slow not good. Last night me and a friend dined in. Our server a tall heavy rugged looking male with a beard with brown hair was horrible. He was atrocious. He was in our faces and space the whole time and thirty mins after placing our orders the idiot came back to tell us he forgot our orders and to reorder. Huh?!
This ignorant server also forgot my wine and was paying more attention to the large table near us. He also never brought us pretzel bread and I forgot about it. You can get better service at Denny’s IHOP or anywhere.
This unprofessional and stupid server was also bothering us half the time coming to even pick up my straw wrapper which was sitting near me twice. Really? Treating patrons as if they’re children the way he was picking things up. He never stopped his annoying actions and ridiculous attitude just got worse. His bad service not only ruined our dinner but caused us to discuss his behavior and was ridiculous.
If i wasn’t with someone I was making an impression on I would have asked for another server. He’s one of the worst servers ever. Aside from forgetting our orders drinks he was treating us poorly and even laughed at me several times. He was atrocious so stupid bad making us feel uncomfortable and the worst service. It was his behavior mannerisms. As he leaned over on the table he yelled in our face the whole time loudly. He has no manners or customer service and ruined our dinner. Disrespectful disgusting and pathetic person. How can someone so blatantly stupid be serving there. The food isn’t that good either. This is the reason I rarely go here anymore and now I know why. You can get better service anywhere.
The hostess who seated us was horrid too. She turned around saying to us the same thing over and over again. She acted awkward and so stupid. She jumped at me like a crazy person acting so outrageous. You can get better service at Denny’s and that’s sad. I will never dine in at this place again. Really rude people with no customer service work here

Outstanding service and incredible food. Pricey but that’s what you pay for a 5 star restaurant.

My girlfriend and I dined in on Sunday night and had a great experience. While we did not catch our servers name, he was fantastic. I have worked hospitality for 5+ years and would go out to say he was one of the best servers I’ve had the pleasure of having while eating out. Informative, funny, attentive, the whole 9.
Ordered a bottle of the house red blend which was great. I had the Parmesan chicken, she had the grouper (both recommendations from our server) and we devoured them.
Had heard great things about Coopers Hawk and it did not let us down.
The pretzel bread is delicious as well!

What gives? I love this place but they screwed up today. Ordered carry out after a long weekend so we could relax at home. We were told 30 minutes on the phone. We live less than 3 miles from this location so it’s really convenient for us. We got there right on time for our pick up. The gentleman at the counter went over the contents to make sure we had everything we ordered. Everything looked good so we paid and went home to enjoy our meal. We got home and realized our food was stone cold, as if it had been ready way sooner than they said it would be. It wasn’t even like it was a «5 minutes» kind of cold. We weren’t expecting it to be piping hot; we’re realistic with our expectations. If it was ready sooner, they should have called. They asked for the phone number when we placed the order. We don’t microwave our food because it sort of ruins it, so I had to dirty up my Pyrex dishes to heat up our meals in the oven. If I wanted to do dishes and cook tonight I would have just cooked tonight. No excuse for this.
The Asian slaw tonight tasted dirty, as if the cabbage and other veggies weren’t washed prior to preparing. Of course, reheating fries NEVER works out great because fresh fries are the only way. Reheated fries? Gross. My boyfriend’s pasta turned out ok.
Not impressed with how they handle carry outs. Won’t be making that mistake again.

My daughter chose Cooper’s Hawk to celebrate after her graduation from UCF. It was very crowded that evening. We had a miscommunication about the number of guests so it was a little rough when we first arrived. However, we were able to get a table even on a busy, post– graduation night with no reservations. The service (particularly how long it took for the entrees to arrive) has improved since the first time we ate here in January, 2015. I especially appreciated the Gluten Free menu and was happily shocked when I received GF bread with my meal! Our server and runners were very helpful and were on top of things during the entire meal. Once again, I was a little underwhelmed by the food quality but the presentation and service was excellent so we’ll probably be back again. My daughter wore her cap while we dined. She received a dessert sampler that said, «Congratulations!» Nice touch!

We just left and after being treated so poorly I have no reason to come back. Customer service is a delicate art and something that should be practiced by every manger in the service industry. So when an employee drops and breaks a $ 400 bottle of champagne you have a challenge.
I’m fully aware this is a «first world problem» but it’s a problem nonetheless. We brought our own bottle of Armand de Brignac Brut Gold (Ace of Spades) to celebrate a college reunion. As our waiter was attempting to open the bottle, our joy turned to horror as I heard the sound of it crash to the floor before I felt the cold spray hit my shoes and ankles. I looked down and saw shards of the gold bottle while the waiter stood in disbelief. His first question to me, «was this bottle in the sun for a long time?» All I could do was shake my head «no» but could hardly believe that he was implying I was somehow at fault.
I fully understand that this is a unique scenario from a manager’s standpoint. This restaurant doesn’t sell high-​end liquor or champagne, so how can you possibly make this situation better? I can think of several ways that admittedly do involve going above and beyond but I can say that your first response should not be «your appetizers are on the house.» I informed him how expensive the bottle was and that appetizers don’t come close to covering the cost. He offered us a bottle of their most expensive sparkling wine ($ 40) but again, this isn’t a place that sells anything close to that kind of alcohol. This then led to free mixed drinks, which is a nice gesture, but still doesn’t come close since there was only 3 of us. We aren’t going to drink $ 400 worth of alcohol. I simply wanted a reimbursement or a replacement bottle.
The food itself was ok but the fact that we had to convince the manager to at least comp the meal was unnecessary on our part (Our total meal was $ 120 for 3 people). I understand this is a unique and challenging situation for a manager but it was handled poorly from start to finish. The manager wanted to do the least amount of capitulation to make up for the blunder as evident by the slow appetizer to drinks to meal evolution.
Customer service matters and each scenario gives managers a chance to do the right thing by their guests. In this instance, Coopers Hawk has yet to fulfill that goal.

I’m a regular here at this point. This place never disappoints. Excellent service every time. The food is always perfect. Stopped by for happy hour this week with my bestie. We shared the Caprese Flatbread and the South of the Border Eggrolls. Both were very tasty, but the Eggrolls really stood out. They came with three different yummy sauces and some sort of seriously tasty Asian-​influenced sweet slaw. I hate coleslaw and yet couldn’t get enough of this stuff. Also, have to mention that the bartenders will give you a tasting of any wine you want to try before you buy a glass. They are happy to do so and provide plenty of suggestions.

I wanted to have a nice dinner for my birthday weekend in Orlando. Service started out excellent. I told her it was my birthday and we were visiting from Michigan. She told us about the restaurant, specials and asked if we wanted anything to drink.
I don’t drink while I eat, so I passed, and my husband wasn’t in the mood for wine, so he passed, too. Apparently that was the nail in our coffin.
Once the server took our order, she *never* came back to the table. A runner dropped our food off and got our silverware. I watched in amazement as our server visited the table in front of us SIX TIMES but couldn’t once be bothered to ask how our food was, refill our waters, etc. Their table had three bottles of wine… spend more money, get passable service?
My husband told me to let it go, but the more I thought about it, the more upset I became. When she dropped the bill off, we paid and left… but unfortunately, I saw the manager. I told him the server ignored us but we watched her visit two other tables nearby several times. He tried to say he gave her too many tables, but that was a shit excuse because we saw her often, she just didn’t see any reason to come back to us.
The manager tried to make it right by offering us free wine but I was so pissed we just left. I value service, especially when you’re paying $ 20+/plate. It was an awful first impression of the restaurant and I’d not return.

I am a proud member of the wine club
I look forward to picking up my 2 bottles each month with my husband. We enjoy the monthly tasting and typically follow with dinner. The food is always top notch!
The staff from the sommeliers, hostess station, lounge and dining room have always been friendly and attentive.

I wanna come back! I *need* to try one of those upside down wine fishtanks!
Bummed I wasn’t very hungry on my visit. I only had the caperese flatbread. Between that and the complementary flatbread, it was more than enough food. The menu has so much to offer! Lunch sized entrees? Wine and chocolate? whaaat?
We had reservations on a Saturday — arrived late — but they still sat us nearly right away. I wondered why they kept coming by asking how we are doing and to apologize about nothing. I felt like I should apologize for being late. In fact, the frequency of apologies was almost annoying. Still, I need this in my life.

Ridiculous and outrageous in the best possible sense.
We were immediately and warmly greeted by several people upon walking in. While waiting for a table we browsed the gift shop, where they offer a large selection of wine related gifts and accessories as well as wine itself along with a sample bar. Not going to lie, I did about half of my Christmas shopping in there. Please don’t judge me.
Once we were seated our server came over and again we were greeted warmly and sincerely. I can’t remember her name but she was wonderful. We never had to ask her for anything as she provided continual refills, brought the wine and dessert menu promptly and so on.
And then the food of course was outstanding. I had the short rib risotto and it was absolutely spectacular. I didn’t even need to use my knife the cut the meat, that’s how tender it was.
I highly recommend Cooper’s Hawk. It was delicious, reasonably priced and had a lovely atmosphere. Can’t wait to return!

Cooper’s Hawk is a favorite of mine for date night and GNO. The food is always on point and the wine selection is fantastic!
Upon entering Cooper’s Hawk you’ll find yourself in a little shop that sells wine accessories, food and, of course, their amazing wine. A great place to browse while you’re waiting for your table. There is also a bar where they host wine tastings.
The restaurant is back behind the store. Nice décor. Low lighting. Like I said, great for date night or GNO. But it’s also very family friendly.
A little about the menu:
For a first dish, you must order the wine and cheese flight. My boyfriend and I get the wine and cheese flight for two every time we dine here. With this dish, you’l receive a cheese board with several types of cheeses that change seasonally, along with various jams and breads. You will also receive four glasses of wine each to pair with the cheese. These aren’t full glasses. But they give you a good amount for it just being a flight.
Something cool about Cooper’s Hawk’s menu: You will notice many of the menu items have a bin number noted next to them. This corresponds to a type of wine on their wine list. It’s their recommendation on which wine will pair best with the dish you are ordering. I always stick to this, no matter what I order as a main dish. And it has never steered my wrong. Always a stellar wine that is a lovely pair to my main dish.
Speaking of the main course, here are a few of my favorites: Soy Ginger Salmon, Blackened Ahi Tuna, Chicken Madeira. Cooper’s Hawk also offers a Life Balance menu which gives some healthier options. To be honest, I don’t think you can go wrong with any of the dishes on this menu. Neither I, nor anyone I’ve dined with has ever had a bad meal here.
And then there is the dessert. Once again, amazing. The Banoffee Pie is my personal favorite. The Reese’s Ice Cream Cookie is also amazeballs. You can also do a wine and chocolate flight for your dessert. On point.
Basically, Cooper’s Hawk can do no wrong. They have something to offer everyone. A great place for dinner before seeing a movie and the Waterford Lakes Cinema.

I decided to come to this place for my birthday dinner. Not too far from my hotel and it had really good reviews. I wasn’t sure of what to expect but boy was I in for a treat.
We were about 15 minutes late for the reservation but they still had our table reserved. We waited about 15 minutes to be seated which wasn’t too bad. Especially since while we were waiting they brought wine samples for us to try. I don’t remember the name but it was a sweet red. Very tasty. A nice way to start off the night.
When we were seated I was very impressed with the décor of the restaurant. It had a very upscale vibe but not so upscale that it seemed stuffy. Everyone there seemed to be having a good time.
Our waiter, Torrance, was exceptional. He went above and beyond for us the entire night. I ordered an appetizer, the crab bites. He recommended them and he was right. They were so delicious. My friend and I devoured them. Even the coleslaw on the side was yummy!
We ordered a bottle of the Romance Red which came chilled. Really delicious, sweet, and fruity. It wasn’t a robust red wine at all, perfect for a light meal like fish. We ended up getting two bottles!
I ordered the soy ginger salmon and traded the coleslaw for asparagus. I had the soy ginger sauce on the side. The wasabi-​butter potatoes were amazing. I was hesitant to try them at first because I thought they would be too spicy but they were yummy! The salmon was cooked to perfection. I enjoyed the entire meal. My friend had the pasta and meatballs and he really enjoyed it.
The highlight of my night was when Torrance was shocked that I didn’t tell him it was my birthday. He brought me a dessert on the house!!! It was a chocolate covered strawberry dressed in a tuxedo. LOL pretty cute.
I said all this to say, do yourself a favor, get dressed up and go here now! You won’t regret it.

I came here one afternoon with my wife to pick up our «wine of the month» club selection. I did not dying here during this visit. But I did have a chance to walk through their shop and look at all of the really cool wine accessories. They have a very thorough wine selection to choose from.
I must tell you, the only sell Cooper’s Hawk winery brand of wine.
I will be updating this review, at a later date, when I dine here. I see by other reviews, that the food here is really good.

After hearing what a cool place this was, I came here for a GNO. Anyone who enjoys wine, especially when paired with food, will really love this place. They have mixed drinks, beer and liquor too. Once seated, Andy let us know right off that we can sample up to 2 wines. The samples are about 2 oz. Enough for my friend and I to sample each others and get a good taste of the wine.
The menu has a wide variety food. There will be something for everyone. Each meal has a wine pairing next to it. I love this since it cuts down on having to take up your servers time.
The appetizer menu has both run of the mill apps, and some that are creative. Since I enjoy something a little more fun, I went with Asian Pork Belly tostadas. This was a savory app with pork belly, avocado, cilantro, onion and finely shredded radish and a crema. Good stuff. There was also complimentary pretzel bread with butter that was served warm. This was enough for 2 of us to enjoy.
My friend and I both had a chicken dish. Both were parmesan crusted. Both were perfectly crispy and not soggy at all. The COOPER’S HAWK CHICKEN GIARDINIERA, and my friend had DANA’S PARMESAN-​CRUSTED CHICKEN. I ended up not being a fan of mine. The description was not detailed enough. If it would have been more descriptive, I don’t think I would of gotten it. It had celery, carrots, garlic and olives. I would never had chosen this combination. I scraped off what I didn’t like and enjoyed it when I scooped on some of the whipped (with skin on) potatoes. My friends chicken was as described with a tomato based relish. I liked her Betty’s potatoes better. Betty’s potatoes are cheesy, with shredded potatoes and a bread crumb topping. Really good.
We split the pretzel bread pudding desert. It was served warm, not to soft, and drizzled with some caramel sauce.
What I didn’t enjoy about the experience was that our server spent way too much time talking about the wine club. I really hope they don’t get a bonus for selling them, although it seems this may be what’s happening. I noticed that our server took a long time coming back to us after appetizers, after ordering, and especially after we were through and wanted our check. I can only guess that it’s because so much time is spent on selling the wine club to others. This really bugged me especially when I was ready to go. That would have to be the only down side of my experience. I am looking forward to going back.
So…the Good:
— Wine samples
— Complimentary warm pretzel bread
— Appetizers
— Food variety
The Bad:
— Having to try to be sold on the wine club
— Some food selections not descriptive enough
— Long wait at times for your server
Oh…& make reservations!

If there ever was a PERFECT DINING experience, this was absolutely it.
It was love at first experience at this restaurant, even with a family of five coming in at 9:30pm on a busy Saturday night.
I walked in with my family and the beautiful bottles of wine and crystal clear wine glasses greeted us as we walked on the dark wooden floors. A little pastries and sweets display station that consisted of truffles was a treat for the eyes as well.
A really buff host with an earpiece greets us and seats us in about 10 minutes in their really CLASSY dining room. An ambience and design of which I would imagine Food, wine, lovers and art critics alike would love to gather and converse.
Our waitress Velina attended our table with such a charming smile and personality. She even asked us if we were celebrating anything that night, which I personally thought was a nice touch. Thank you for asking!
She was very knowledgeable of the menu. She even knew which wine or drink to pair with what entrée. I’m very impressed. I was torn between getting a chocolate martini or the sangria, so she suggested the Peach Sangria.
As we waited for the food, we had the Pretzel bread with butter served on a small wooden board. It looked perfect, just the right rich brown color with an X in the middle.
The very second my brother sliced that bread, a puff of fresh light salt pretzel bread hit my nostrils it was amazing. As I bit into it, it was rich, moist and a soft bread savoryness that hit my happy taste buds. You could tell it was very fresh.
The drinks came and i tell you, they’re on point on presentation. Their glasses were so incredible clean and shiny that it looked like a wine collector owned the restaurant.
My Peach Sangria was so seductively delicious that I kept drinking it and halfway through my meal, I almost forgot I had water on the table. I’ve never had such a perfect Sangria. The flavors were blended so well that I couldn’t even tell there were layers. Velina informed me that they let their Sangria sit and blend for 3 days. Wow. Amazing. No wonder it was so good.
Now, the thing that completed my night into a state of perfect peace and well being was the SHORT RIB RISOTTO. Lord have Mercy it was the richest thing I’ve ever put in my mouth. If this isn’t a perfect Risotto, then I don’t know what is! Beef was tender and cooked perfectly, Risotto was so rich and creamy cheesy OMG my mouth even is salavating just writing this sentence. It was a beautiful harmony in my mouth. Each bite was a warm cheesy spoonful that did my soul good.
To finish the night, we had the Banofee, Reese’s brownie thing and Crème Brulee. If there’s anything dessert I recommend, it’s the Banofee. It’s a real treat!
It seriously was the most perfect dining experience I’ve ever had. All I needed probably was to pull out a bed and call it a night. Even I was grumpy prior, they hit all the right notes and if people could see auras, mine was probably glowing.
Never thought I would say this but I think I found my last meal before I die lol.
They nailed everything. Price is worth every single penny. Even though I wasn’t dressed as nice, the staff did not treat me any different.
I strongly recommend this business and will most DEFINITELY come back even if I have to come alone. Perfect score.

Excelente… lo maximo. Fuimos a celebrar aniversario y nos trataron de maravilla. La comida exquisita empezando por el hummus, el salmon divino, la variedad de vinos es excelente… keep up the outstanding service!!!