It’s a tiny but mighty pub inside Fort Lauderdale’s oldest hotel, yet it looms large among Tripadvisor’s 2025 “Best of the Best” U.S. restaurants.
The Golden Lyon Vintage Pub — a 400-square-foot drinking den noteworthy for burgers, pints and a Friday fish-and-chips special — is the No. 8 Hidden Gem in the country, if you believe the Travelers’ Choice Awards rankings announced by the crowdsourced review site on Sept. 26.
Golden Lyon is also the lone Broward and Palm Beach county winner on the entire list, joining 13 other eateries spanning Miami-Dade County to the Florida Keys. Tripadvisor said the rankings are based on “those who receive a high volume of above-and-beyond reviews and opinions from the Tripadvisor community over a 12-month period,” adding that “fewer than 1% achieve this milestone.”
So how does a family owned sports tavern bedecked in gold and wood accents — with all of 20 indoor seats and 16 more on its shaded Las Olas-facing patio — earn such a stratospheric shout-out?
Count Heiko Dobrikow, Riverside Hotel’s general manager, among the surprised.
He said the prideful Lyon doesn’t advertise, relying instead on word of mouth from daytime regulars and weekend tourists streaming through the gilded French double doors to catch live Florida Panthers and Miami Dolphins games on TV.
“Being in a restaurant that’s in the top 1% worldwide is pretty awesome,” said Dobrikow, also executive vice president of The Las Olas Co. “It’s hard to beat the people-watching opportunities on Las Olas. We’re a local’s watering hole, and it reminds me a lot of Cheers in Boston. You can literally name the chairs by the regulars who sit in them.”
The Golden Lyon specializes in New England lobster rolls, Delmonico ribeyes, house-smoked salmon dip and a signature Las Olas Burger (lettuce, tomato, red onion on brioche), and fans on the platform often highlight the “balanced, bold” cocktails — like housemade sangria — and brunch service from cheery bartenders Debra Bishop and William Nemirow.
“We’re a local’s watering hole, and it reminds me a lot of Cheers in Boston.” — Heiko Dobrikow, Riverside Hotel’s general manager
The pub, which also received the official title of Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice in 2021, sits among a medley of eateries inside the 89-year-old hotel, joining Wild Sea Las Olas and Boathouse at the Riverside, Preston’s Wine & Martini Lounge and New River Cafe & Bakery.
The “Best of the Best Restaurants” are celebrated for “their extraordinary cuisine, attentive service, and remarkable locations where … diners go to make special memories,” Tripadvisor president Kristen Dalton said in a statement.
Tripadvisor’s annual ranking split up its results into eight categories, ranging from fine and casual dining to pet-friendly and vegan-vegetarian spots throughout the country. Our winners from South Florida and the Florida Keys are, in order:
Best Hidden Gems in U.S.
- No. 6 — Bungalow By The Sea, Miami Beach
- No. 8 — Golden Lyon Vintage Pub, Fort Lauderdale
Best Casual Dining in U.S.
- No. 1 — Osteria Positano, Miami Beach (and No. 10 in the world)
Best Date Night in U.S.
- No. 1 — Red Shoe Island Bistro, Key West
- No. 5 — Cafe Marquesa, Key West
Best Pet-Friendly Dining in U.S.
- No. 1 — CRAFT Key Biscayne, Key Biscayne
- No. 4 — Moondog Cafe & Bakery, Key West
- No. 5 — Lighthouse Kitchen + Bar, Marathon
- No. 7 — The Breakfast Club, Too, Key West
- No. 15 — Blue Heaven, Key West
- No. 17 — Mangrove Mike’s, Islamorada
- No. 21 — Seaside Cafe at the Southernmost House, Key West
Best Vegan & Vegetarian
- No. 1 — Esquina Cubana, Miami Beach
- No. 6 — CRAFT South Beach, Miami Beach
To see the full list of Tripadvisor rankings, go to tripadvisor.com/TravelersChoice.
Golden Lyon Vintage Pub is located at 620 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale. Call 954-467-0671 or go to GoldenLyonPub.com.
