Nineteen61, Lakeland FL

Can’t thank Nineteen61 enough for a great experience. We were celebrating a special occasion, and I was blown away by the kindness and attention to detail delivered by the gracious staff and managers. I will forever be grateful for this memorable night! #teamgirl!

Our waiter, service, and food were all amazing! This was probably the best steak I've ever had. I wasn't sure on the desert and our waiter brought me a sample of the guava paste for the cheesecake so I didn't order it blindly. It was seriously the BEST desert! They also placed a special header on our menus as we had reservations for our anniversary. ️️️️️

Great dining experience. We were celebrating our 8th anniversary. Food was phenomenal. We had the grouper and short rib for our main course. For appetizers we tried the calamari and brussel sprouts. It was a busy night. The bartender was a little overwhelmed, drinks took a little longer, but they were worth the wait.

My son took me for my birthday this past weekend and it was the best service we both have experienced. Our server Jaxson was Awesome. He went of his way to make us feel welcomed and made sure I enjoyed my birthday dinner. I even received a birthday card signed by every employee that was working even the manager.
I've already made reservations to take a friend for her birthday.

This is somewhat funny. We were refused two tables at this place while the restaurant was empty. My conclusion is because they didn’t like our Hispanic face at a “Cuban” restaurant! The manager offered to sit us at an outside table and it was sprinkling. Crazy.

1961 isn’t stuck in the 20th century. No, instead, it’s a very modern restaurant. Even though the food was noticeably good, the waitstaff was exceptional. I’ve been in the food industry myself and if I were a manager, I would appreciate knowing the staff was friendly and attentive. Our waiter, Zach F.was phenomenal. 5 stars to restaurant and 10 to Zach.

The service was fantastic! (We had 6 in our party) I ordered the sous vide pork chop, that was so tender and flavorful! The 1961 salad is perfect, topped with olive oil and olives, tangy and subtly sweet. My only draw back is that it is very loud in there, but it's a popular spot. If you're looking for something more intimate you might want to try this spot at odd hours, the crowd is justified.

Food is delicious, our server was friendly and had a great personality. Perfect place for a romantic dinner. Outside setting available with a beautiful view of the park that you can stroll around under the sun or stars. Definitely a place to make ahead reservations because they get very busy. If you sit in the back you can see straight into the kitchen. You can see all the dishes that are made, and they're very impressive to see.

Even on a gloomy and rainy evening, the amazing drinks, fantastic food, and impeccable service will make your night. This establishment buzzes with atmosphere. My only wish is that it could be in a larger location so reservations weren't so hard to come by.

Went for my partner's birthday and had a wonderful time. Our server Eugene was so kind and funny the entire dinner, and made the birthday so very special. Favorite dinner items were the Peruvian Ceviche and the Wagyu Burger. Will definitely come back to try more amazing items!

Well definitely the menu is not real Cuban cuisine, pan con bistec was a small cheesesteak type sandwich, ropa vieja not sure what type of meat they use but def not shredded skirt steak with no peppers or onions, black beans straight from the can. Asked for table bread which they don’t serve for brunch only dinner. Asked for bread with my steak and eggs took them 10 min to bring out, so thinly sliced it would crumble, let me clarify steak medallions not a steak. The young waiter did a good job just having to keep going to the kitchen for items forgotten. Ask for hot sauce you will also have to pay. Really nice place but they def could do much better, wouldn’t survive one week in Miami.

Phenomenal dining experience. The service was superb, the food was exceptional, and the white sangria was perfect. The grand mariner creme brulee was absolutely divine. The perfect upscale spot for a special occasion.

We enjoyed an anniversary dinner here. The restaurant made an extended effort to make us feel special. All the food was amazingly flavorful. The service was attentive and informative. The sangria was among the best I've had. We will happily return here.

Beautiful restaurant! We loved the outdoor seating with a view of the park across the street. Heavy Spanish influence on the Cuban food so while not traditional, still delicious! The jamon Serrano croquettes with Manchego cheese and guava Sherry sauce were awesome! The Cuban sandwich was delicious with a Jamon Serrano twist. The guava pastelitos were very authentic and delicious! One of us opted for the prime rib special which was excellent. And the tres leches dessert was killer. Try the passion fruit drink too!

I’ve been here twice and each time the food has never disappointed. This restaurant is a very nice place and one of the best restaurants in Lakeland in my opinion. This is the perfect spot for a date. I’ve ordered something different each time I’ve come here and everything I’ve had has been superb. The dessert was amazing as well. Staff were great too.

This was probably our 4th time visiting 1961 and we always really enjoy ourselves. We made reservations online, which I highly encourage since this is a hot spot especially on the weekends. We started off with wine and a cocktails. I can’t remember the name of the drink but the presentation was lovely, it was garnished with a dried orange slice. My wife seemed to really like that. The 1961 salad is a must, the dressing is creamy and flavorful but also mild.some dressings are too acidic and you can’t taste the vegetables it’s served on. It is extra yummy if you enjoy olives but you can get it without also. I had the Wagu ravioli and it was so rich and tender. It was accompanied by a pan fried protein of sort and that was very crispy on the outside but tender inside. The dish isn’t a large portion but I would say it’s heavy so not for someone craving lite fare. We skipped dessert. We were satisfied and didn’t want to overstuff. The reason I chose 4 stars on service is because, while our server was very friendly and present he seemed to miss some details when explaining the dishes and didn’t tell us there were a few changes on the menu until we were there for a while so I had to regroup on my dinner option. Not a huge deal but this is a higher quality establishment so something to be worked on. He was engaging and happy to find the answer to the questions we did have so great job on that! Also, my friend got the seafood paella and that was delightful, I will be ordering that next time.

Loved the craft cocktails and the attentive service. The menu has so many great options! I had Lomo Saltado and it was so good! Beef with peppers and onions - yum! My husband had Grouper Saltado and said he would recommend it!
Creme brulee for dessert - a classic well done!

Such a great atmosphere and whiskey selection. The food is pretty darn good too. Make reservations if you plan on going to Nineteen61, though. Or you can sit at the bar if you get there early enough. Either way, this is a great place to eat and drink if you’re in Lakeland.