Dining Alone in South Florida
A growing contingent of diners wants their fellow South Floridians to know: There’s nothing wrong with eating out alone.
These trailblazers are making reservations for a table for one or heading straight to the bar for a solo drink and meal. And they are quite outspoken about their love of their own company.
Boynton Beach resident Marcia Levine, 70, breaks bread by herself with confidence and attitude.
She enters the joint, head held high. If the hostess steers her to the bar, she declines, as she prefers a seat with a back on it and wants to be able to spread out with her magazine, iPhone, earbuds and other accoutrements. If anyone is judging her for lacking a companion, she is unconcerned.
“I’m going to do what brings me joy and pleasure, and dining out, with or without company, is such a necessity for me,” said Levine, a DJ whose boyfriend lives in New York. “If I sense any hostility by a restaurant employee to my presence, I’d just not go back there.”
Levine is part of an expanding corps of Americans who are dining out unaccompanied. The reservation platform OpenTable reports 52% of consumers planned to go it alone at restaurants in 2025. A report by Resy, another booking service, said solo dining in Miami was up 14% in 2024, higher than Chicago at 12% and New York at 6%.
These upticks come at a time when a growing number of Americans are single. The share of adults ages 25 to 54 who are married fell from 67% in 1990 to 53% in 2019, and the number who have never been married grew from 17% to 33%, according to the Pew Research Center.
Delia Caccaviello serves Beverly To as she dines alone at The Greek Joint Kitchen and Bar in Davie on Tuesday, June 3, 2025. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
The Rise of Solo Dining
This blossoming demographic presents many opportunities for restaurants. Still, they’re a business, and they want to fill tables with as many people as possible. One person at a table for two means an empty seat that’s not bringing in money.
“In fine dining, there are concerns about losing revenue” when there is only one person at the table, said Jason Lakow, a partner in three Palm Beach County restaurants and former manager at the swanky Café Boulud in Palm Beach. “It can be an inconvenience to accommodate them.”
But at casual restaurants, tables turn over quickly, giving the businesses a chance to make more money on the next party. At Lakow’s Tropical Smokehouse restaurants in West Palm Beach and Delray Beach, “we have a ton of single diners and we love them,” he said.
Tips for Solo Diners
Whether you’re a veteran of solo dining or fear giving it a try, here are some tips from Lakow and several South Florida diners who eat by themselves regularly. It may be hard to go it alone the first time, but all say you will come to love a newfound sense of independence and self-esteem. Not to mention the freedom to eat at the time you want, where you want and what you want.
TIPS
Be aware of how crowded the restaurant is: “If you can tell we’re busy, take a table for two, not four,” Lakow said. And when you finish eating, “If there’s a line out the door, you have the check and the host keeps walking by, it may be a sign the venue wants to give the table to a new set of guests,” he said.
Ask the server to drop your check as soon as your food arrives: “This is especially helpful if you’re dining alone during lunch because sometimes the staff can get slammed during a busy lunch shift,” said Beverly To, a frequent solo diner from Pembroke Pines. “If you feel uncomfortable hanging around for too long, you can get in and out quickly if you already have the check.”
Enjoy the freedom of ordering anything on the menu: “When you go out with a big group of people, sometimes your choices are overruled or outnumbered,” To said. “Another advantage of eating alone is you won’t have to share your dish with your dining mate. Sometimes when you’re dining with another person, they will convince you to order what they want (even though you had no intentions of ordering that dish). Dining alone eliminates the problem of being forced into sharing food items that are not your first choice.”
Should you sit at the bar? Many solitary diners recommend this option as it’s easy to chat with the bartender or the person next to you, or not talk to anyone at all. Mike Mayo, host of South Florida streaming show “Mike Mayo’s Lunchbox” and a former Sun Sentinel food columnist, recommends these restaurants for their bars that are especially friendly to single guests:
- Café Seville, Fort Lauderdale
- Heritage, Fort Lauderdale
- Tropical Acres Steakhouse , Dania Beach
- Anthony’s Runway 84, Fort Lauderdale
- Casa D’Angelo, Fort Lauderdale
- Daniel’s, A Florida Steakhouse, Fort Lauderdale
- Ocean Prime, Fort Lauderdale
- Kaizen Sushi Bar & Grill, Fort Lauderdale
- Batch New Southern Kitchen & Tap, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Delray Beach
- The Butcher & The Bar, Boynton Beach
- Warren American Whiskey Kitchen, Delray Beach
- The Grove, Delray Beach
- Elisabetta’s Ristorante Bar Pizzeria, West Palm Beach and Delray Beach
- Crazy Uncle Mike’s, Boca Raton
- Loch Bar, Boca Raton
- MIA Kitchen & Bar, Delray Beach
Looking to meet people and make conversation? Try a restaurant with a communal table. In a recent discussion in “Let’s Eat, South Florida,” the Sun Sentinel’s foodie Facebook group, several solo diners recommended Turning Point, a breakfast/lunch/brunch restaurant in Boynton Beach with a big central table that seats 14 and “encourages people to engage in conversation,” according to patron Jodi Silverman.
You never know who you’ll meet: Ivonne Rocher Marquez said she didn’t know anyone when she moved to Delray Beach a few years ago, so she decided to go out alone one night. “I decided one night to try City Oyster & Sushi Bar,” on the city’s bustling Atlantic Avenue, she wrote in “Let’s Eat, South Florida.”
“I sat at the bar and met another single lady, to this day we are best friends. I tried every restaurant on the avenue dining solo. I would sit at the bar or at a nice table with a view. Many of the bartenders and restaurant owners to this day are great friends. I highly recommend it, definitely a wonderful experience. You will meet the most amazing people!”
Conclusion
Dining alone in South Florida can be a liberating experience, offering the freedom to eat what you want, when you want, and where you want. With the rise of solo dining, restaurants are becoming more accommodating to single diners, and many are even embracing the trend. Whether you’re a seasoned solo diner or just starting out, remember to be aware of your surroundings, ask for your check when your food arrives, and enjoy the freedom of ordering anything on the menu.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is it weird to eat alone at a restaurant?
A: Not at all! Many people enjoy dining alone and find it to be a great way to relax and unwind.
Q: Will I be judged for eating alone?
A: Most restaurants are welcoming to solo diners, and you’re unlikely to be judged. If you do encounter any hostility, it’s best to politely decline and leave.
Q: Can I sit at the bar if I’m eating alone?
A: Absolutely! Many solo diners prefer to sit at the bar, where they can chat with the bartender or other patrons if they choose to.
Originally Published: June 6, 2025 at 11:14 AM EDT
