Primo

Evin Forbes

I've never cared much for restaurants on resort properties, but my visit here was genuinely delightful. Nate was our bartender the evening my partner and I visited and he made wonderful recommendations. He was warm and accommodating, leaving us to linger a while longer just to enjoy our conversations with him and the other staff. The happy hour spritzes are wildly delicious and they have an N/A option available. I appreciated the same level of care that went into both cocktails/mocktails. The roasted, herbed almonds were also a nice touch while we waited for our food to arrive. I recommend the margherita pizza for a post-pool snack to share. It was perfectly thin and light. Overall, it was a wonderful experience in a modern, but cozy restaurant and bar. Definitely worth a stop for a quick cocktail and a snack after floating down the lazy river. While we only ordered from the happy hour menu, I would certainly dine here again to experience the dinner service.

Rayna Bradley

Thought it’s highly recommended that you make a reservation, my husband and I brought our daughter here for her 3rd birthday this past weekend. Firstly, the hostess (I believe her name was Akera), was absolutely amazing. She was able to squeeze us in at one of the tables by the bar, and not only that, but went truly above and beyond, and surprised our little girl with 3 balloons! It was so considerate and sweet! Our server/bartender was very attentive despite keeping up with a full bar. The manager came to our table and chatted with us a bit, she made sure everything was to our liking and took such good care of us. After we’d settled everything and thought we were done the manager surprised our baby with a birthday sweet with a cute edible happy birthday sign as well! This was one of the most memorable and beautiful dining experiences I’ve ever had. We had the octopus dish as well as the lobster Caio E Pepe, both the octopus and the lobster were perfectly cooked, and you can tell in the best way, that they make the pasta in-house. I couldn’t possibly recommend this place enough, they made us feel incredibly special.

Grace

👉🏻 To Summarize our Visit: We LOVED this restaurant! My husband and I visited this restaurant in July of 2024 for the first time. When I mean love, it really felt like a quality 5 star restaurant, every meal was phenomenal, the layout of the food on the plates were beautiful, our service was perfect (never empty waters, etc), the price was EXTREMELY reasonable considering we have paid way more in other restaurants in this area to get less food and less quality. Vibe of the restaurant was incredible and felt exotic, the free fireworks off the balcony was a plus. ✅PROS: Reasonably priced for quality given, Food tasted fantastic, fresh, and light (not heavy and greasy), Wine tasted great, Options for drinks range from cheaper to extremely expensive ($300+), they knew how to make our special day feel special, incredible food given for free, post meal dessert from chef for free, bread was handmade and flavorful (free), our dessert which we purchased was incredible, seating can be at tables or at these couches (I literally was reclining while eating and talking), FREE FIREWORKS VIEWING FROM BALCONY IF you visit on the right night, reservations allowed ❌CONS: Never coming and not tasting it for yourself (I am serious) 🗒HOW THE NIGHT WENT: We had a later reservation (~8pm). As a previous waitress, I do know that best times to receive quick service is either before rush hours (5-6:30ish) or (7:45-9ish). I was not let down the whole time. Extremely well paced and quick service to be seated for reservation, taking our orders etc. Upon entering the location, the interior felt exotic, and when we found out the owner of the restaurant is from Spain, that began to click. The interior has beautiful natural colors along with blue accents. It gives a very homey, fresh feel. Almost like you are in someones luxury home overlooking water. The bar which is open all night had these beautiful trellis' too. What struck me the most was our specific seats ended up being a "booth" for 2-3 people but it was actually a really comfy couch with pillows! Our waiter, Brandon, who has been working there for years, served us.When making the reservation, I told them we were celebrating and he brought us out free champagne. It was THE nicest way a restaurant has ever celebrated our big day. Brandon understood the menu and was very professional. We received our free bread which we found extremely fresh and fluffy. If you have ever had real bread, you can tell. I did end up taking our leftovers home because it was so good. We did not order appetizers but was surprised, when two spoonfuls of a luxury looking appetizer came out (Free of charge). It was a mixture of jelly, nuts, bacon, mushroom, and something else. Never tasted anything like it. Loved it. I had the Tortelloni and my husband had a prime rib-eye. We both chose the perfect meals for our palettes. My meal was about 32$ without tax and his ~$65 but I got to eat lobster claw, beef rib, and truffles inside it. I was worried the meal was going to feel heavy (oils and cheese) but this was NOT the case. In fact it was very balanced tasting and my stomach felt good. My husbands prime rib was cooked perfectly and the mashed potatoes with bone marrow he could not stop raving about! Dessert we had the caramelized banana bread pudding. FANTASTIC! Better than any other dessert I have had in this area (including cheesecake factory cheesecakes). They even added a little sign for our special occasion. After dessert, they brought out another free mini dessert for free (little jelly cubes and fudge cubes). Both were phenomenal. We also got to watch a 10-15 min fireworks show the hotel put on that their balcony could see perfectly. You do not have to sit outside to walk outside during this part. Check with hotel on when this happens before booking. ⭐️AMAZING experience that every restaurant in Orlando should take notes from (true hospitality I have not seen since being in Japan)!

Salon Bergler

Last night I went to Primo for my very first time and let me tell you the experience was absolutely amazing! We had a few appetizers, a main course meal and pasta. The staff was incredible, extremely friendly and all around the atmosphere was stunning. If you’re a local or just in town visiting, I highly recommend heading over to the JW Marriott grand Lakes, and enjoying a lunch or dinner at Primo!

mmzombie •

Stop right here….We have been to many Italian restaurants, and this was a great experience, from the people to the food. The bolognese was absolutely amazing-wow!!! The desserts were unreal. Homemade pasta, and it shows. The meatball appetizer was spot on. Everything is done with style!!

My girlfriend and I had a wonderful anniversary dinner here. The hostesses were very amicable and set out a card with some chocolates on our table, they also set out a card for my girlfriend that I dropped off before we got there which I greatly appreciated. The service was great, they were attentive and friendly (thank you Jared, wish I remembered everyone else’s names) and the food was delicious, we were very happy with everything. The only thing is that it was too warm to comfortably wear a suit jacket so dress accordingly. Overall, would definitely recommend.

Fantastic dinner at Primo in Orlando! We were welcomed immediately by A’kera, who was so kind and accommodating. Our server Giovani was excellent, attentive and friendly throughout the meal. We were recommended the archini and the bolognese, and both were absolutely delicious. Wonderful service, amazing food, and a great overall experience. Highly recommend!

Excellent experience at Primo. Outstanding food, attentive service, and a warm atmosphere from start to finish. The hostesses were welcoming and professional, making the evening feel smooth from the moment I arrived. Easily one of the best dining experiences in Orlando — highly recommended.

Kristen Winningham

Fantastic dinner at Primo in Orlando! We were welcomed immediately by A’kera, who was so kind and accommodating. Our server Giovani was excellent, attentive and friendly throughout the meal. We were recommended the archini and the bolognese, and both were absolutely delicious. Wonderful service, amazing food, and a great overall experience. Highly recommend!

Dylan J.

My girlfriend and I had a wonderful anniversary dinner here. The hostesses were very amicable and set out a card with some chocolates on our table, they also set out a card for my girlfriend that I dropped off before we got there which I greatly appreciated. The service was great, they were attentive and friendly (thank you Jared, wish I remembered everyone else’s names) and the food was delicious, we were very happy with everything. The only thing is that it was too warm to comfortably wear a suit jacket so dress accordingly. Overall, would definitely recommend.

We needed an excuse to venture out of Disney for dinner for 2 and landed at Primo. Needless to say, best decision ever! The service was outstanding, the food was delicious. My lobster was a little dry IMO however everything else was excellent. If the strawberry cheesecake is on the menu,dont skip it!.TIPS: Free parking with validation and Primo Restaurant is on the Sapphire Reserve Exclusive list if you wanna use the biannual dining credit - dont forget to book through Open Table :) ..your welcome!

We recently stayed at the JW Marriott and dined at Primo. It was over the holidays, so expecting it to be crowded. However, the service was extraordinary slow. It was really too bad because the menu and food is phenomenal! Our meal was delicious. The seafood was fresh and cooked perfectly in the Cioppino. And the Lobster Cacio de Pepe - amazing! Keep in mind that they charge for the bread per person, so our bread basket for our table of four was $16. That came as a surprise, we should have ordered it for 2. But it was a memorable meal and I’d definitely return and see if the service speed has improved.

If you’re debating between this restaurant and Knife & Spoon on the other side of the hotel, having tried both, I personally prefer this one, the food and service is simply better. We ordered the pork saltimbocca and the lobster cacio e pepe pasta, and both dishes were really good. Our waiter was very experienced and gave us excellent recommendations. Overall, the service was solid, and we had a great dining experience. High end restaurant = pricey.

Everything was delicious! Every dish was well-prepared and flavorful. The overall dining experience was excellent — great presentation, fresh ingredients, and balanced seasoning. Definitely worth recommending!

My Virtual Vacations (Alyson)

We recently stayed at the JW Marriott and dined at Primo. It was over the holidays, so expecting it to be crowded. However, the service was extraordinary slow. It was really too bad because the menu and food is phenomenal! Our meal was delicious. The seafood was fresh and cooked perfectly in the Cioppino. And the Lobster Cacio de Pepe - amazing! Keep in mind that they charge for the bread per person, so our bread basket for our table of four was $16. That came as a surprise, we should have ordered it for 2. But it was a memorable meal and I’d definitely return and see if the service speed has improved.

Sandra Mc

If you’re debating between this restaurant and Knife & Spoon on the other side of the hotel, having tried both, I personally prefer this one, the food and service is simply better. We ordered the pork saltimbocca and the lobster cacio e pepe pasta, and both dishes were really good. Our waiter was very experienced and gave us excellent recommendations. Overall, the service was solid, and we had a great dining experience. High end restaurant = pricey.

Bob fang

Everything was delicious! Every dish was well-prepared and flavorful. The overall dining experience was excellent — great presentation, fresh ingredients, and balanced seasoning. Definitely worth recommending!

Brittany Cunningham

Primo @ the JW Marriott Grande Lakes focuses on farm-to-table cuisine with Mediterranean & Italian accents. Primo procures much of its produce, eggs, honey, & proteins locally, including from on-property Whisper Creek Farm & Primo’s own garden below the restaurant. Primo has been designated a Recommended restaurant by the Michelin Guide since June 2022. Chef Melissa Kelly, owner, is a 2-time James Beard Foundation award winner for NE Best Chef. The restaurant is named after her grandfather, Primo Magnani. Primo underwent a major renovation in 2021 & is light & airy. You feel like you were whisked to a Southern Italian Villa. I sat @ the bar & the service was strong. The food & beverage arrived w/in an appropriate time frame. What I Ordered the Say Less Cocktail, Zellwood Corn Soup, Primo Meatballs, Oysters Oreganata, Bread Pudding Dinner service began w/ an amuse bouche. The tuna tartar w/ mango & avocado was a well-balanced, tasty bite. Say Less featured Appleton Estate Signature Rum, Amaro Montenagro, Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur, & lime. The drink lacked depth of flavor & did not make the components shine. The soup was amazing & memorable. I could have had a bowl of the corn relish alone. The whole kernels provided great texture & the acid from the relish cut through the richness of the crème fraiche. I wanted to love the meatballs & I did enjoy the fresh ricotta and scamorza cheeses. I was just looking for more flavor in the meatballs. The tomato sauce was solid but not memorable. The oysters were well prepared. I loved the herbaceous quality created by the oregano and the garden greens. A squeeze of the Meyer lemon accentuated the breadcrumbs, & I appreciated the generous amount of breadcrumb on top of the oyster. The bread pudding had nice subtle notes that went well w/ the bright basil-calamanzi coulis. I thought it was a fun play on French toast sticks and liked the slight crisp on the ends. However, I feel the dessert tasted more like banana bread than bread pudding.

It's a good place. In my opinion, not an award-winning place. I've had better experiences at other Italian restaurants. The food is good, nothing spectacular. Being inside the JW, it's very crowded with tourists. The service is good. The cost-benefit ratio is expensive.

Not impressed. The pictures on the other reviews look wonderful and well plated. We picked up food to go - arancini, burrata salad, and the ricotta cavatelli. All were lacking. I don’t mind spending good money on good food but the salad was a joke - around 5 leaves of “farm greens”. My boyfriend and I both laughed and said oh well. But then we opened the arancini. It was served wet (sitting in a lot of sauce which made it mushy) and there wasn’t much flavor at all. The ricotta cavatelli was gummy and doughy and left a lot to be desired. Food to go is always going to be different from actually within the restaurant. But the Ritz is only a 5 minute walk from the restaurant in the JW. It should have been fine. TLDR: meh food. Entirely too pricey for portion sizes. What we ordered was over $150

Elaina

Not impressed. The pictures on the other reviews look wonderful and well plated. We picked up food to go - arancini, burrata salad, and the ricotta cavatelli. All were lacking. I don’t mind spending good money on good food but the salad was a joke - around 5 leaves of “farm greens”. My boyfriend and I both laughed and said oh well. But then we opened the arancini. It was served wet (sitting in a lot of sauce which made it mushy) and there wasn’t much flavor at all. The ricotta cavatelli was gummy and doughy and left a lot to be desired. Food to go is always going to be different from actually within the restaurant. But the Ritz is only a 5 minute walk from the restaurant in the JW. It should have been fine. TLDR: meh food. Entirely too pricey for portion sizes. What we ordered was over $150

Willy Roble

It's a good place. In my opinion, not an award-winning place. I've had better experiences at other Italian restaurants. The food is good, nothing spectacular. Being inside the JW, it's very crowded with tourists. The service is good. The cost-benefit ratio is expensive.

Nestled within the opulent JW Marriott in Orlando, Primo promises an upscale dining experience but delivers a disappointing performance, earning a mediocre three stars. My recent dinner there left us underwhelmed, with the food, ambiance, and overall experience failing to live up to the restaurant’s lofty reputation or the hotel’s grandeur. The food was, at best, average and far from worth the steep price. My pork chop was a major letdown—paper-thin, overcooked, and lacking the succulence or depth of flavor expected from a premium dish at an upscale venue. My dining companion’s entrée was equally uninspired, with bland seasoning and presentation that felt like an afterthought. The only redeeming element was the meatballs, which stood out as a highlight. Tender, savory, and well-seasoned, they offered a glimpse of Primo’s potential but couldn’t salvage the overall meal. For the cost, we expected far more culinary finesse. The ambiance further dampened the experience. Billed as upscale, Primo’s open kitchen and casual setup felt more like a noisy cafeteria than a refined restaurant. The constant clatter and lack of elegance clashed starkly with the sophistication of the JW Marriott, making the setting feel disjointed and unpolished. Service was adequate but unmemorable, with staff going through the motions without the warmth or attentiveness expected at this level. While the meatballs were a standout, Primo’s lackluster food and mismatched atmosphere don’t justify the expense or the expectations set by its prestigious location. For a hotel of this caliber, we anticipated a dining experience that matched its grandeur. Sadly, Primo falls short, and we won’t be rushing back anytime soon.

Absolutely wonderful service! And the atmosphere was enchanting. The food however was lacking everything the price demanded. I would rather pick up a grocery store pizza than ever try another one from Primo. The pasta was lackluster and over cooked.

Mike Charbit

Appetizers were stellar. Probably the best octopus I had. The entrees were meh. The restaurant reminds me of a coffee shop by the pool in a cheap hotel. The have a plaque up from Michelin? Perhaps one of them bought 4 tires? The waiter was great and I wish I liked it more but the food was hit or miss, it’s like a coffee shop, and it’s crazy expensive. Skip.

Chris Ulrich

Nestled within the opulent JW Marriott in Orlando, Primo promises an upscale dining experience but delivers a disappointing performance, earning a mediocre three stars. My recent dinner there left us underwhelmed, with the food, ambiance, and overall experience failing to live up to the restaurant’s lofty reputation or the hotel’s grandeur. The food was, at best, average and far from worth the steep price. My pork chop was a major letdown—paper-thin, overcooked, and lacking the succulence or depth of flavor expected from a premium dish at an upscale venue. My dining companion’s entrée was equally uninspired, with bland seasoning and presentation that felt like an afterthought. The only redeeming element was the meatballs, which stood out as a highlight. Tender, savory, and well-seasoned, they offered a glimpse of Primo’s potential but couldn’t salvage the overall meal. For the cost, we expected far more culinary finesse. The ambiance further dampened the experience. Billed as upscale, Primo’s open kitchen and casual setup felt more like a noisy cafeteria than a refined restaurant. The constant clatter and lack of elegance clashed starkly with the sophistication of the JW Marriott, making the setting feel disjointed and unpolished. Service was adequate but unmemorable, with staff going through the motions without the warmth or attentiveness expected at this level. While the meatballs were a standout, Primo’s lackluster food and mismatched atmosphere don’t justify the expense or the expectations set by its prestigious location. For a hotel of this caliber, we anticipated a dining experience that matched its grandeur. Sadly, Primo falls short, and we won’t be rushing back anytime soon.

Miss the fine dining experience it used to be!! Too loud, too bright, too noisy, too touristy! Food was ok, service was great as our waiter has been there 13 years; he said he misses the old dining experience as well. This was our third and last time eating here, will try the other resort restaurants next convention.

Karen Stephenson

Miss the fine dining experience it used to be!! Too loud, too bright, too noisy, too touristy! Food was ok, service was great as our waiter has been there 13 years; he said he misses the old dining experience as well. This was our third and last time eating here, will try the other resort restaurants next convention.

Ordered food to go (back to our hotel room) at the bar. Fiancé ordered a beer while we waited. Bartender washed all of these glasses (pic) took an olive oil & bread plate outside and then served the beer. There is no one else at the bar. It is 9:16pm on a Sunday (4/27/25). Clearly he is more concerned with closing down than with guests. **Back at the room - food portion was abysmal as was the food. Ordered all 3 of the pasta dishes - bolognese, the mushroom, and the seafood. Lobster was chewy (thinly sliced and likely the size of a langostino) & sauce was bland, mushroom was greasy, and the bolognese noodles were overcooked. JW should do better for on-site dining. Saving grace was room service despite a $160 tab for "to go" food. Stinging mad at this restaurant. I would suggest eating at the downstairs bar or the Kitchen. Or get in your car and go elsewhere. I am local (Indian Rocks Beach) here for "staycation"- this place needs an overhaul. Yuck.

Rik Kisnah

The restaurant is michelin nominated officially . However i believe it should have been michelin de-nominated. Food is so bland, my god… i ate better italian food from italian food trucks. Service is at best mediocre. Don’t spend $500 on this restaurant. Keep it for your online bets on whether seahawks will win the superbowl. Advice to management: get someone to audit the taste of your signature meals (especially the pasta) and train your staff to be more personable - $500 for a four person meal - folks might expect premium service and food that actually taste good - otherwise the mcdonalds dinner seems more attractive…