Aurora at the Celeste

We did the magical dining and I highly recommend Very well priced and the portions are huge We made reservations in advance and had no waiting time. We sat right away in a private and quiet room I tried the goat empanadas as an appetizer and it was really good and tasty I also got the kangaroo to try something new and did not get disappointed For dessert I had the supernova and it is delicious but huge! Very nice experience and well priced

We had such a wonderful experience at Aurora Restaurant! From the moment we walked in, we were warmly welcomed by the sweet hostess at the front. Even though we didn’t have a reservation, they kindly accommodated us right away when a table opened up. Our server, Constance, was absolutely on point — attentive, professional, and made us feel very well taken care of. I ordered my entrée medium, but it came out closer to well done. Honestly, it wasn’t a big deal to me, since the taste was great, but the staff insisted on making it right and went above and beyond to ensure we truly enjoyed every bite and every minute of our evening. We left feeling not only satisfied but impressed. Highly recommend Aurora for anyone looking for great, amazing food paired with exceptional hospitality!

Oh Aurora, How much do I love thee? Let me count the ways. This place is always such a joy to visit. I always look forward to their special events when I can afford it. It is such a good value for your money. They currently are participating and magical dining. My partner and I left rolling out with take out bags. Everything was so delicious and perfectly cooked. The service is always fantastic. The staff always makes you feel welcomed and it's such a joy coming here. We're on a tight budget, so visiting the Aurora is a splurge we save a long time for and we've yet to have a bad experience there. We also absolutely LOVED the seafood boil they had last month. I hope they do it again. It was the perfect amount of food. We felt so spoiled. Chef Mike Trudak always kills it!

The light, crispy goat empanadas were incredible! And the filet medallions were cooked to perfection! But the best is the Supernova dessert, which reveals the ice cream covered brownie as the molten caramel melts away the chocolate dome on top. Delicious!!

Jodi

Excellent menu for food, drink and dessert. Space themed. Gluten free options, very delicious and flavorful. I had gluten free Aracini which were amazing!! The barramundi which was delicious, the Cancer cocktail, and flourless chocolate torte. Servers were good and attentive. Pricing is fair. I was seated immediately with no wait. Highly recommend, would definitely eat here again!

B S

We have spent many a holiday at The Aurora...Easter, Mothers/Fathers Days, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Chef Mike does an amazing holiday brunch buffet. The environment is lovely - warm and welcoming. The food is out of the world, with SO many options. All the traditional things like a carving station for ham, turkey, and prime rib...but also salmon, shrimp, mussels. Omelet station, salads, so many fresh fruit - both expected and unexpected, bread options galore with a host of cheeses and spreads, plenty of sides and an unimaginable array of desserts. There is literally something for everyone and everything is delicious! Throw in bottomless mimosas and you can't go wrong! We highly recommend and look forward to being back on Thursday for another great Thanksgiving meal!

Kennisha J

I LOVED this place! It's tucked away on UCF campus. They have free valet and the parking wasn't bad. I had my zodiac cocktail, an Aries. It was AMAZING! Literally the perfect drink for me! Sweet with coconut. Loved it. I did Magical Dining. I ordered the duck nachos, bison ribs, and blueberry bread pudding. I also added pix of my friends food, steak and cauliflower dishes, also the tostados and ball appetizer from magical dining menu. The nachos were soooooo good!! I was blown away by the flavors and the chips tasted homemade. The tostados were good but just a bit too much bbq for me. The ribs fell off the bone and the fries that came with them were great. The pistachio cake was nice and moist. It was more cream than cake though. I'm not sure what the rice balls were called but then we fold and went well with the nachos. The bread pudding was to die for!!! There was so much food that I had to take some of the ribs and pudding home. They were even better the next day. It you've been wanting to try this place, do it! I would suggest to dress up a tad bit. The staff were nice and friendly. We had Ethan as our waiter. He was funny and kept us entertained. He checked on us all night and made sure we were good. The location is super cute. Stars is their theme and it just looks so great. The art, the checkbooks, the spaceship.. great place. Definitely recommend.

Barrett Ugo

Really enjoyed my dinner here while staying at the hotel. My server Ashley was great, her service made the experience top-tier. I did the magic city dining and enjoyed everything I had. The Argentinian shrimp appetizer was simple, but delicious. The bison ribs were very good but a little sweet for my taste so if you like a more savory sauce, something to be aware of. The blueberry bread pudding was delicious!! Really great hotel restaurant!

Barbara Brown

It would have been more ideal to have a quiet, private room, since there were at least 20 Phi Mu Alumnae in our group. It was difficult for our president to make announcements due to the background noise. However, this is a very pleasant place for a group to have brunch. The food was tasty, though the browned potatoes served as the side for eggs Benedict were too salty; however, the ketchup came in handy to subdue the saltiness. The serving of shrimp and grits was plentiful enough for an additional meal. Service was prompt, friendly, and professional. She also volunteered to take our group photos. The special lighting nearby added a lovely atmosphere.

Douglas Cherry

We had a great Christmas Buffet lunch at the Celeste Hotel restaurant Aurora. The atmosphere and service was outstanding. The food was well prepared and arrangements flowed well. I highly recommend if in search of a place to eat Christmas Day.

Allan Bottner

You can go to the Aurora restaurant and do what I did. Taste a food you never tasted before. I had the goat empanadas as a appetizer and the goat,cheddar cheese, peas and cucumber sauce was very good together. Never had kangaroo before and it was very good. Like steak but less dense and tender. My dessert was the supernova and its was spectacular. A chocolate balloon dome on a brownie. The waitress pours hot rum caramel on the dome and it dissolves and breaks open apart to reveal the ice cream and other goodies inside. Quite a lot of goodies Very satisfying dessert and meal .

Crysie

My friend and I decided to try Aurora during Magical Dining because the menu was so unique compared to other restaurants — and we wanted something different. I must say, EVERY dish that came to our table was absolutely amazing! We started with the Curry Goat Empanadas, and if you’re a goat lover like me, you know that not everyone can cook goat well — but this was a perfect 10/10! The empanadas were paired with a cucumber sauce I never would have thought to try, but it was the perfect combination. (Side note: I don’t eat cucumbers, ever, but I ate that sauce and would gladly do it again!) For our main courses, I had the Bison Back Ribs and my friend had the Southern Fried Kangaroo. Both dishes completely exceeded our expectations — so much so that I honestly wanted to run to the back and personally thank the chef. Every bite was packed with flavor and cooked to perfection. For dessert, I had the Coconut Milk Rice Pudding, which reminded me of my childhood growing up on the islands. The tropical salsa took it to another level — simply delicious. My friend had the House-Made Blueberry Pudding. I’m not a huge blueberry fan, but even I thought it was incredible. The texture was perfect — not too dense, not too soft — truly the best bread pudding I’ve had! What really sets Aurora apart is that every single dish was a winner. At most restaurants, there’s usually just one standout dish. Here, everything was perfection. The staff made the experience even better. From the warm welcome from hostess Laila, to our attentive server Ashley, to Ms. Dana (whom I think may have been a manager) — everyone was kind, knowledgeable, and welcoming. Chef Mike and Sous Chef Christian — you two are culinary geniuses! Thank you for such an unforgettable dining experience. We will definitely be back.

Wendy C

Prefect place for date night. The service was excellent. I celebrated a birthday and the staff was great and accommodating. The birthday boy received a complimentary glass of champagne and the food was delicious! Would def recommend for an intimate and romantic setting.

Jenny Torres

We had such a wonderful experience at Aurora Restaurant! From the moment we walked in, we were warmly welcomed by the sweet hostess at the front. Even though we didn’t have a reservation, they kindly accommodated us right away when a table opened up. Our server, Constance, was absolutely on point — attentive, professional, and made us feel very well taken care of. I ordered my entrée medium, but it came out closer to well done. Honestly, it wasn’t a big deal to me, since the taste was great, but the staff insisted on making it right and went above and beyond to ensure we truly enjoyed every bite and every minute of our evening. We left feeling not only satisfied but impressed. Highly recommend Aurora for anyone looking for great, amazing food paired with exceptional hospitality!

Diana Rodriguez

Oh Aurora, How much do I love thee? Let me count the ways. This place is always such a joy to visit. I always look forward to their special events when I can afford it. It is such a good value for your money. They currently are participating and magical dining. My partner and I left rolling out with take out bags. Everything was so delicious and perfectly cooked. The service is always fantastic. The staff always makes you feel welcomed and it's such a joy coming here. We're on a tight budget, so visiting the Aurora is a splurge we save a long time for and we've yet to have a bad experience there. We also absolutely LOVED the seafood boil they had last month. I hope they do it again. It was the perfect amount of food. We felt so spoiled. Chef Mike Trudak always kills it!

Ken Votapka

The light, crispy goat empanadas were incredible! And the filet medallions were cooked to perfection! But the best is the Supernova dessert, which reveals the ice cream covered brownie as the molten caramel melts away the chocolate dome on top. Delicious!!

Angela Lee Aki

Constance was our server. She was amazing, attentive and had great recommendations. We all went with the magical dining. My son and I loved the duck nachos, goat empanadas, kangaroo and bison ribs. Such a great way to explore stuff we had never tried before Highly recommend you check this place out and try something out of your comfort zone.

4barca2ro

We did the magical dining and I highly recommend Very well priced and the portions are huge We made reservations in advance and had no waiting time. We sat right away in a private and quiet room I tried the goat empanadas as an appetizer and it was really good and tasty I also got the kangaroo to try something new and did not get disappointed For dessert I had the supernova and it is delicious but huge! Very nice experience and well priced

Makenna Fischer

Me and my boyfriend came here for our anniversary, when we were seated we received a card for our anniversary (picture). Carlos was our server and he was absolutely fantastic. He was fun, friendly, and attentive, and made our experience here extra special. We ordered bread for our appetizer, and got the chicken breast (picture) and sliders (picture) for our meals. Everything we ate was not only appealing to the eye but also delicious. I can't wait to come back and try more off of their menu, and I highly recommend anyone who hasn't tried aurora to visit.

Had a fantastic experience at Aurora at the Celeste. The atmosphere is elegant but relaxed, and the food was excellent, you can tell they focus on quality ingredients and thoughtful presentation. The restaurant has a really unique vibe inside the Celeste Hotel, making it a great spot for either a special dinner or a relaxed brunch. A special shoutout to Justine, our server! She was attentive, friendly, and incredibly knowledgeable about the menu, she also made great recommendations and checked in at just the right moments without ever being intrusive, thanks for recommending the Peppadew Hummus, that was yummy! Service like that really elevates the whole dining experience! Overall, great food, great atmosphere, and outstanding service, I had the Tikka Masala Heirloom Cauliflower, outstanding! Would have it everyday! I’ll definitely be back and would highly recommend asking for Justine if you get the chance 👍

First of all, we showed up on a Friday, the day before valentine's day, despite being told there were no reservations. We figured we would try our luck waiting for one or sit at the bar. Thankfully, Madison was able to accommodate us quickly, so this was definitely a win. We ordered 1 alcoholic beverage and 2 cocktails, all of which were delicious. We started with the bread service, sliders, and seafood cakes. The bread had a parkerhouse roll quality to it, served nice and warm with a side of honey butter and some sort of herbed butter. Very nice. The sliders were confusing, because they were served as what I consider a meal, 2 sliders with a heaping serving of truffle fries. But they were very tasty. The seafood cakes had great flavor, but we were turned off by the lukewarm temperature. Some parts even felt chilled. But the remoulade and pickled jicama made it refreshing. For our main courses we had the Faroe Island Salmon, the Elk chopped steak, and the sausage pasta. The salmon was slightly overcooked and lacked seasoning. The Yukon smashed potatoes were misleading, as they were actually more like lumpy mashed potatoes. The risotto was delicious with a variety of champignons, which overpowered the truffle and parmesan. The pasta was tasty but the sauce overpowered the dish, and the sausage was too lean to stand out in any way. The cool burrata provided a nice break from the sauce. The elk was well seasoned and tasty, but it was served more like a meatloaf than chopped steak. The bacon did not add to this dish. The pan gravy was very tasty, the dish could have used more of this. For dessert, we had a heart shaped layered cake that was magnificent, but our greatest disappointment was the bread pudding. Dry, dry, dry. This could use a warm liquor laced or vanilla bean butter sauce, because the blueberry compote did little to bring out the flavors, it was just a nice tart accompaniment. The atmosphere presented like a beautiful hotel breakfast Cafe moonlighting as a high end contemporary restaurant. Beautiful lighting and nice touches, but still fell a bit short of that. The service was timely and wonderful. All in all, I do want to give this place another try, but with so many unique dining experiences in Orlando that are far less burdensome on the wallet, I'm not sure when we will have the opportunity to do so.

The vibe is cute. It’s a small restaurant inside the Celeste hotel. The parking was confusing, but I asked the valet and he was nice. I got The Local. The food selection was small, but a good variety. The coffee was awesome.

Gave this place a try because of Magical Dining Month. The menu was very interesting. We made a reservation and it only had outside seating. We were the only couple seated outside for about 30-45 minutes, which was funny because most of the tables inside were full. The inside decoration was beautiful, and the outside had nothing, just tables and chairs. The inside was moderately loud with conversation and music, while the outside was very quite. So it worked out for us as well. Either way we enjoyed ourselves. Coby, our server, was great. His recommendations were terrific.

C P

The vibe is cute. It’s a small restaurant inside the Celeste hotel. The parking was confusing, but I asked the valet and he was nice. I got The Local. The food selection was small, but a good variety. The coffee was awesome.

Goose Prevot

Gave this place a try because of Magical Dining Month. The menu was very interesting. We made a reservation and it only had outside seating. We were the only couple seated outside for about 30-45 minutes, which was funny because most of the tables inside were full. The inside decoration was beautiful, and the outside had nothing, just tables and chairs. The inside was moderately loud with conversation and music, while the outside was very quite. So it worked out for us as well. Either way we enjoyed ourselves. Coby, our server, was great. His recommendations were terrific.

Brian H

Came here for our anniversary. It was nice to receive a warm welcome along with an anniversary note. We really appreciated that touch. Service was a bit slow that night but not because of our waitress, there was a large party going on, so the food did take some extra time to come out. The chorizo pumpkin empanadas were fresh and tasty. For our main courses, it was a let down. We ordered the braised short ribs which were flavorful but also dry. The plate was a small portion, smaller than some other places with a similar dish. The veil tomahawk was also very tasty. We just didn't enjoy the mashed rutabaga that came along with it. Their signature old fashioned was okay, nothing to rave about. Perhaps the muddled fruit or too much simple syrup didn't hit the mark for me. Overall, a good place for a meal but somewhat overpriced.

The food was a mixed bag. We really enjoyed the goat empanadas they were to die for. But the fried kangaroo was served like chicken fried steak and lacked flavor. Also, a couple of us ordered it and the cooking temp was not consistent (ours was well done while my dinner companion’s was near rare in spots). The bison ribs were delectable fall off the bone. The coconut rice pudding was very dense and too dry IMO. Regardless, the restaurant’s menu is extremely unique, so I’d go back and try the restaurant again. The service and staff were welcoming and helpful, making it a great dining experience.

We were excited to try Aurora! Ambiance as we walked in was nice. Try to book later; it’s prettier at night. I love the Celestial theme. Our servers were also good - Bekah and her trainee, Ryan were attentive. The food was very good. We started with Duck Nachos. A slight point off because the cheese overpowered the duck a bit. Moving on to the Southern Kangaroo. Surprisingly delicious! The best part of our meal. The majority of the point deduction was for dessert. 30 minutes after main dish was cleared, we were still sitting waiting for dessert. We had been waiting so long we no longer wanted dessert. Apparently they were still making the bread pudding my husband had ordered. This should have been noted way earlier (we went for Magical Dining and everything was ordered up front) or if there was some unforeseen delay (initial batch burned, etc) then we should have been notified/offered options. I had ordered the Super Nova, which is a dish served with ice cream, so having dessert to go was not really the best. A good dinner ruined by poor timing

Dave Payne

The food was a mixed bag. We really enjoyed the goat empanadas they were to die for. But the fried kangaroo was served like chicken fried steak and lacked flavor. Also, a couple of us ordered it and the cooking temp was not consistent (ours was well done while my dinner companion’s was near rare in spots). The bison ribs were delectable fall off the bone. The coconut rice pudding was very dense and too dry IMO. Regardless, the restaurant’s menu is extremely unique, so I’d go back and try the restaurant again. The service and staff were welcoming and helpful, making it a great dining experience.

Amabel Cabatu

We were excited to try Aurora! Ambiance as we walked in was nice. Try to book later; it’s prettier at night. I love the Celestial theme. Our servers were also good - Bekah and her trainee, Ryan were attentive. The food was very good. We started with Duck Nachos. A slight point off because the cheese overpowered the duck a bit. Moving on to the Southern Kangaroo. Surprisingly delicious! The best part of our meal. The majority of the point deduction was for dessert. 30 minutes after main dish was cleared, we were still sitting waiting for dessert. We had been waiting so long we no longer wanted dessert. Apparently they were still making the bread pudding my husband had ordered. This should have been noted way earlier (we went for Magical Dining and everything was ordered up front) or if there was some unforeseen delay (initial batch burned, etc) then we should have been notified/offered options. I had ordered the Super Nova, which is a dish served with ice cream, so having dessert to go was not really the best. A good dinner ruined by poor timing