Fort Lauderdale institution the Downtowner is extraordinarily romantic, despite being located next to a jail. It is housed in what looks like a very old building almost directly underneath the Andrews Avenue Bridge, where the strange acoustics of the surrounding stone and water magnify the footfalls of passersby, and where the sunlight reflects off the New River and makes the air shimmer. It is a place for poets to write poetry. It is also, as tends to be the case with us, a place for drunks to eat and drink their way through screaming Sunday morning hangovers. Thus, brunch: a $12.99 all-you-can-eat with an omelet station, a carving station, copious amounts of pasta, and a self-described awesome version of Eggs Benedict. Brunch runs from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; from 1 to 4 p.m. the Downtowner also hosts a variety of performers, usually of the mellow/jazzy/bluesy/solo-acoustic variety. Past performers include J.P. Soars and Bone Lee.
Find the Downtowner at 408 S. Andrews Ave. in Fort Lauderdale. Call 954-463-9800 for more info, or visit downtownersaloon.com.
