The atmosphere has a rustic feel. The House of Blues in Orlando is two-story building. The ground floor is usually packed, so it's nice to go to the balcony for a less hectic feeling. Both the ground floor and balcony have bars that serve drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), along with food. The bar closes when the main act begins their show.

Security is very tight at these shows. There are guards on practically every corner, and they keep the crowd from getting to out of control... which happens on a rare occasion.

Overall, the House of Blues is a great venue to see up-and-coming artists, comics, and larger named groups. I would recommend checking out a show if you are in the area.

We tried catfish fingers with spicy mayo, jambalaya with shrimp, sausage, scallops--everything but the kitchen sink! It was mildly spicy and very good. The tomato basil soup and chicken caesar salad were better than average, and the whole dining experience was worthwhile. It reminded me very much of New Orleans, from its decor and music to the cajun food. The mixed drinks left a little to be desired, but what can I expect in Disney World?

We had a very friendly and talkative waitress who took the time to explain some of the items on the menu. The atmosphere in the House of Blues is unique. I would definitely dine there again.

HOB is located near the Cirque de Soleil tent, so this is an ideal place to stop before the show.

The porch outside the restaurant has a number of chairs and tables where you can wait. Inside the funky Southern delta art covers walls. (Rumour has it, you can buy the art if you have enough money to spend.) The restaurant itself is a little on the dark side, but it fits the atmosphere well. Great tunes continuously played in the background, but the music wasn't too loud by any standard.

Our waiter, named Howard, was very friendly and attentive. We asked for his recommendation on a good wine. He brought us a very tasty white Beringer.

For appetizers I had a great blue cheese, pecan, field green salad. Others in our party ordered the Mediterranean Calamari tossed with Lemon, Chili Garlic Sauce, Parmesan Cheese and Extra Virgin Olive Oil. It was tasty, but I've had better calamari. We also had some of the rosemary cornbread with maple butter. One pan serves 4 large pieces. I thought the combo of the bread and maple butter was superb. As a side note, it was made with cilantro and not rosemary. (Big green leaves are not rosemary.)

Dinner was: Grilled Marinated Chicken Breast with a Savory Andouille Corn Bread Pudding, Red Wine Sauce and Sautéed Asparagus. The andouille sausage was a little spicy, but the cornbread pudding tempered it down a bit. I thoroughly enjoyed this dish. Everyone else had jambalaya. They were raving about it.

For dessert, I had the mini pecan pie with vanilla ice cream. My friends had the white chocolate banana bread pudding. I didn't care for the pie; my friends liked the bread pudding.

There is a kids menu with burgers and other less spicy dishes. Besides salads I didn't see any vegetarian dishes on the menu.

House of Blues is a neat experience. If you are lucky you may be able to catch a show there with a band you like. I thought the food was a little pricey. I'd skip dessert and appetizers except for salad or cornbread.

They have a seperate gift shop with clothers, glassware, art, various spicy sauces, and number of other items.