robbalvey Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 (edited) Tonight was the media preview for Mango's Tropical Cafe which is now open on I-Drive in Orlando. Walking distance from The Orlando Eye and many other of the local attractions, this place was just absolutely OFF THE RAILS!!! What exactly is Mango's? It's like having an entire entertainment district under one roof! There's one of the best variety shows I've ever seen, fantastic drinks, amazing lighting, detail and design all around you, great food, dancing, and some of the hottest boys & girls I've seen working at any club here in Orlando! But this is not just "any club" here in Orlando. This is not like anything Orlando has ever had before. While Orlando has had places like Bahama Breeze & Senor Frogs for years, those places basically are imitating what Mango's is. This is everything you'd expect from a high-end Las Vegas style club or at a resort in Ibiza or Cancun, but it's open and accessible to everyone here in Central Florida! If you want a seat on the main floor for the dinner & show, it's going to cost between $60 - $75 per person, but you can also spend that money on food & alcohol during the 2 hour show. And with the high quality of their offerings, you'll easily go through it! If you want to just come in, have a drink, dance, hang out in one of the many bars or lounges, you can do that, too! There will be a small cover charge depending on how busy it is, but man, this place is just CRAZY! It's worth it! I'm so glad we have something like this here in Orlando, and it makes me look even more forward to the Skyplex project because that's done by the same people and Mango's shows they know how to throw a party, do it classy, and are very professional! On to some photos & video! Entrance to Mango's Tropical Cafe! Located near the corner of Sand Lake & I-Drive walking distance from The Orlando Eye! And upon walking into Mango's you are greeted by some very pretty ladies. This is gonna be a GREAT night! The lighting inside is just insane! Very impressive! Bartenders of both sexes are very nice to look at! But what's also impressive is the lightning and attention to detail all over the location. I love that there are bars everywhere and each one of them has a very different look! The entire place just has such a cool feel to it. The bar has screens with sharks that swim by! Awesome! And the eye candy is everywhere! Also what is impressive are the drinks! And yes, they are Pitbull approved! Everything we had at Magno's was just delicious. Some of the best drinks in town! In my mind, this is what Santa's elves look like! Center stage is the "dinner & a show" part of Mango's and the show is impressive as hell! Dancers & singers are all top notch! Kept us entertained for a very long time! I now know a lot more about "dirty dancing" than I did before! And trust me, I am paying VERY close attention! Honestly, I could easily watch these dancers all day long... And the shows are as interactive as you want them to be! It's a variety show made up of many different acts. These guys reminded me of the "Jabawockees" I've seen on America's Got Talent. The dancers doing a little Niki Minaj was just fine by me! They even came around to the tables to hang out! Didn't mind this one bit! Yes!!! Michael Jackson impersonator! And he was GREAT!!! And nothing says Michael Jackson like a little bit of Thriller! Thriller signature move!!! The costumes were just amazing! And so many of them! Did I mention how I could easily do this all night long? Let's go check out some of the other bars and lounges around the place... Some of the bars upstairs you don't have to be the "Dinner & A Show" price, but you still get an awesome view! The "Vodou Room" is a private lounge that can be rented out, or they can have other entertainment like a DJ and dancing. So many options at Mango's! Yes, I would like two of those, please! This space was incredible! We snuck in before anyone else was here to get a few pictures, but it filled up nicely about 20 minutes later! This has plenty of space for dancing, chilling, just hanging out, etc... Now this is MY kind of "character meet & greet!" The outside patios were also amazing. Here's another heavily themed bar with plenty of room for dancing. I felt like everywhere I turned there was yet ANOTHER lounge area! LOVE IT!!! And all over the club you can get some amazing views of the show! Yes, another lounge. Comfy and very inviting. The artwork in Mango's was wonderful! Very sexy but classy. Some really amazing stuff in here! Yet another just awesome looking bar! I couldn't get a straight answer on just how many different bars there were in this HUGE place, but I think "A HELL OF A LOT" is probably a correct answer! Another view of the stage from the second floor. Oh! The live band is an AWESOME touch! It really makes this place come alive! Need to give those guys props. They were really good! We found an awesome bar just behind the stage. Give me a few drinks and I could stare at this behind view all night long! I would be smiling, too! Wait... I AM! "Would you like some alcohol?" "YES, PLEASE!!!!" Seriously, though, this "behind the stage bar" kicked ass! Might have been my favorite place to just "hang out" in the whole club! Let's take a look at the menu.... We didn't get a chance to eat tonight, but we WILL be coming back to try everything! The menu is HUGE and having toured the back of the house previously, the kitchen is equally as impressive! So many options! This is a good thing! I'm all about Chicken Parmesan! That's on the "must try" list! And most important...the drinks menu! The "407" Cosmo was GREAT!!! (and nice nod to our local area, too!) Classic & Sexy...just like all of Mango's! The lemonade Mojitos were FANTASTIC! Had the Peach & Raspberry... WOW! Watermelon Vodka Lemonade was also high on my recommendation list! We did not have any alcohol we wouldn't recommend. They were all great! Another look at more bars in this place! It's almost like a cruise ship under one roof where you have so many different locations to go and check out! The artwork is all different and the vibe varies from one bar to the other. Multiple patios as well. Seriously, this place is HUGE!!!! It's just insane! Places like Señor Frogs & Bahama Breeze try to pull off this same vibe, but really they are just imitations of what Mango's is. Mango's is legit! This place is the REAL DEAL! And of course there's a shop! No place in Orlando is complete without a shop! Yup, official merchandise! Gotta hand it to Joshua Wallack. I am just so impressed with this place. Joshua is all kinds of crazy in the BEST way possible! Any guy who builds a place like this AND is going to give Orlando the world's tallest roller coaster with Skyplex gets huge respect from me! Congrats, dude! We will be here a LOT! Expect to see lots of reports from Mango's on our socials and make sure you put it on your MUST DO list when coming to Orlando! Edited January 15, 2016 by robbalvey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SFOG1991 Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 Looks amazing! I feel like I-Drive is finally getting more of the top notch attractions that were missing during my previous visits. *Schedules next trip to Orlando* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoinItForTheFame Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 Awesome report! Grand great photos! Looks like an amazing edition to Orlando. We will definitely be stopping by during our next visit to Orlando. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philrad71 Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 Wow...that place is HUGE - looks very nice. And it's got a good sized food and drink menu for the win! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gerstlaueringvar Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 I've never wished I am 21 more! This place looks incredible, great job! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jew Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 It's almost like a cruise ship under one roof where you have so many different locations to go and check out! That was my first thought upon seeing the pictures as well. It's like everything a tourist might do after a day at the parks rolled into one---restaurant, dinner show, casual bar, nightclub...looks awesome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PixelRush Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 Robb is more excited about this and the people in there than the rest of his career Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbalvey Posted December 24, 2015 Author Share Posted December 24, 2015 Robb is more excited about this and the people in there than the rest of his career What does that even mean??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbalvey Posted December 27, 2015 Author Share Posted December 27, 2015 I've never wished I am 21 more! This place looks incredible, great job! Hey, you can at least still go in before 10:00pm! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilltopper39 Posted December 27, 2015 Share Posted December 27, 2015 I went to Mango's in Miami last week and my first thought was this place is going to kill it in Orlando. Even though it was super slow on South Beach since it was Monday night we thought we'd stop in Mango's and grab a drink just to check the place out then move on but ended up staying for a a few hours. Im not really a "club" person but this place was a blast so I'm sure the one in Orlando will be as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbalvey Posted December 27, 2015 Author Share Posted December 27, 2015 (edited) We were doing a walk along I-Drive last night just to see how busy/not busy things were around 11pm, and when we were taking pictures outside of Mango's last night, the owner was out greeting guests (which I thought was awesome in itself), spotted us across the parking lot, ran over gave me a huge hug and told us to come in VIP style dropping the rope past the check-in staff allowing us to bypass the huge line! It was awesome! And just more reasons why I love this place and the guys that run it! Also, it was PACKED last night! There was a line around the corner! Was so impressed how they have only been open a week and they are KILLING IT on I-Drive when other places were, unfortunately, fairly slow. I think this just speaks volumes for the quality of Mango's, though. Mango's has only been open a week on I-Drive... ...And there was already a line around the corner of the building! I'm not sure I've ever seen any location on I-Drive get this much attention so quickly! GREAT FOR THEM!!! The place inside was PACKED, but the crowd was very well managed. At no point did it feel "uncomfortable" at all. The shows are awesome! [twitter] [/twitter]Had to watch Michael Jackson one more time! Cheers to you Joshua Wallack! Your club kicks some serious ass! Edited December 27, 2015 by robbalvey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedimaster1227 Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 I'm really glad to see Mango's is doing so well so quickly. That has been prime real estate left abandoned for a very long time and to see this corner of I-Drive and Sand Lake so successful is a great indication of what we can expect just across the way when Skyplex opens. There's no question, Joshua Wallack and his partners know how to breath life in Orlando and with Mango's now open, the new parking garage/shopping complex/rooftop restaurant and Skyplex on the way, I truly believe that their developments will spur continued investment in the I-Drive corridor. The area needs a lot of work still, but I think everything that Wallack and his team are bringing will be the spark that lights the fuse on bigger redevelopment of the rest of I-Drive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilltopper39 Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 I'm somewhat familiar with the Orlando location but does anyone know off the top of their head know if this building was a new construction from the ground up or did they renovate an existing structure? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SharkTums Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 ^It was existing but COMPLETELY renovated. Torn down to the studs and then some! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jew Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 I'm really glad to see Mango's is doing so well so quickly. That has been prime real estate left abandoned for a very long time and to see this corner of I-Drive and Sand Lake so successful is a great indication of what we can expect just across the way when Skyplex opens. There's no question, Joshua Wallack and his partners know how to breath life in Orlando and with Mango's now open, the new parking garage/shopping complex/rooftop restaurant and Skyplex on the way, I truly believe that their developments will spur continued investment in the I-Drive corridor. The area needs a lot of work still, but I think everything that Wallack and his team are bringing will be the spark that lights the fuse on bigger redevelopment of the rest of I-Drive. It really seems like I-drive is finally being modernized...I love it! All these projects combined with all the land Universal controls is sure to lead to continued modernization of I-Drive into a true world class entertainment corridor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nrthwnd Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 Man, I would get exhausted just walking through all of this 'Cafe', lol! So many bars. So much entertainment. It all looks amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilltopper39 Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 It really seems like I-drive is finally being modernized...I love it! All these projects combined with all the land Universal controls is sure to lead to continued modernization of I-Drive into a true world class entertainment corridor. It is pretty amazing how much that area has changed in a fairly short amount of time. I don't know exactly when Pointe Orlando opened but between that, I-Drive 360, Mango's, and Fun Spot, that area has certainly changed it's personality quite a bit recently. Even a lot of the older "cheap" hotels and touristy souvenir shops and buffets have closed and been replaced by name brand properties and more unique restaurants. Now don't get me wrong some of that still exists in that are but the newer nicer stuff seems to taking over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nrthwnd Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 ^ Just curious, but is there anything already there and not taken out, that maybe shouldn't be removed or altered? Like some mom and pop cafe that everybody goes to, etc.? Something in the area, that everybody still likes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I305forever Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 Goddam I wish I were 21. If only America prescribed to common sense and let people drink wine and beeer at 16 and spirits at 18... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nrthwnd Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 ^ Your wish is granted. Eventually. Listen, when I turned 21, the then age for here in Canada, they dropped it to 19! I was sooooo p.o.-ed they robbed me of two "legal" years of drinking, lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I305forever Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 ^ It's 18 in Montreal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jew Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 (edited) Goddam I wish I were 21. If only America prescribed to common sense and let people drink wine and beeer at 16 and spirits at 18... I would be terrified of that. The majority of the people in America very much lack common sense... Hell, I've done a TON of stupid stuff while legally drunk... In fact, next time I visit Orlando I am sure this will be added to the places I have been drunk... Edited December 29, 2015 by Jew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilltopper39 Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 ^Yeah, probably not a great idea in America. I am curious though about Mango's Orlando's hours and age requirements, like are there more "family friendly" shows earlier in the evening before the 8pm or something? Not that it will affect their business any but Orlando is still a pretty family friendly town so I'm curious if they considered that aspect for this location. ^ Just curious, but is there anything already there and not taken out, that maybe shouldn't be removed or altered?Like some mom and pop cafe that everybody goes to, etc.? Something in the area, that everybody still likes? I'm probably not the right person to answer that question since I'm not really a local anymore but honestly I don't really remember there being anything remotely close to a mom and pop cafe or a famous locals only kind of spot anywhere on i-Drive (again, not a local anymore so there might be but I don't know about it). I think there is still an Ale House down there which is kind of a local Florida sports bar brand but it's huge and all of those in the state kind of have a touristy feel to them (not that it's a bad thing, I love the Ale House). I was kind of referring to the traditional Touristy Gift Shops and All you Can Eat Lobster Feast places and rundown mini golf courses that used to be on every corner on i-drive. Again some of that is still there but it seems like whenever something closes these days it's replaced with much better than was there before. I-Drive has always been the more budget friendly area of town to stay compared to the on-site hotels at Disney/Universal or the larger premier properties from the major hotel chains, and that's probably not going to change but the addition of higher end properties certainly seems to be helping that area redefine it's image a bit. There's still 3 Golden Corrals and 4 IHOPS on I-Drive, but now there's also a Capital Grille, Sugar Factory, and places like Mango's and King's Orlando, so the mix is certainly changing. Also, I found an article from Orlando Weekly that answered my question about the buildings previous tenant, apparently it used to be a TGI Friday's Front Row that had like celebrity hand prints in the concrete in front of the restaurant or something? Yeah, I had no clue that was ever there originally. 5-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-mangos-orlando Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirkFunk Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 If you're going to I-Drive for Mom and Pop/Locals joints, you are definitely "doing it wrong". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbalvey Posted December 29, 2015 Author Share Posted December 29, 2015 (edited) If you're going to I-Drive for Mom and Pop/Locals joints, you are definitely "doing it wrong". You're not, actually. As an Orlando local, I can tell you there are plenty of local places still left on I-Drive. One of our favorite places to eat, and the best Indian we've found in all of Orlando is a small little mom & pop place right on I-Drive across from Coco Key water park: https://www.google.com/maps/place/New+Punjab+Indian+Restaurant/@28.4537571,-81.4725658,17z/data=!4m7!1m4!3m3!1s0x88e77effc2206771:0x56da0bbbf13db43!2sNew+Punjab+Indian+Restaurant!3b1!3m1!1s0x88e77effc2206771:0x56da0bbbf13db43 We've been going here at least 12 years, long before we even moved to Orlando! Giordanos is another locals favorite and while it's a small Chicago chain, there are only three in all of Florida, and probably the best place you can get Chicago style pizza in the area! (I actually don't know of any others!) And while you might not find a lot of Orlando locals at places like Senor Frogs or Bahama Breeze (those are by far more touristy places), I can tell you that us locals have been visiting I-Drive a lot more now that we have better options like Yard House, Shake Shack, and even Mango's. And we still do frequent other restaurants like Cafe TuTu Tango since it's the only one here in the Orlando area and we'll even do Carrabbas & Outback Steakhouse on I-Drive now since they are so convenient and the parking is very good. (At the Orlando Eye) It's doubtful you'll find us out on I-Drive at 10pm on a Friday or Saturday night or during the peak of summer or holiday seasons because that's crazy town full of tourists, but any other day of the week it's just fine. Edited December 29, 2015 by robbalvey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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