You’re walking down International Drive, the neon humming, the humidity thick enough to wear, and you’re looking for that specific neon sign. The one with the crown. You want the ribs. You want the B.B. King’s Blues Club All-Star Band to blow the roof off the place while you sip a Tennessee Lemonade.
But there’s a problem. The doors are locked. The stage is dark.
Honestly, if you’ve been searching for the bb king restaurant florida lately, you might have noticed things look a little different on the map. The truth is, the landscape of Orlando’s nightlife shifted hard a few years back, and one of its biggest anchors—the legendary B.B. King’s Blues Club at Pointe Orlando—didn't make it to the other side.
It sucks. It really does.
The Rise and Fall of the Orlando Blues
When B.B. King’s first opened in Orlando back in 2007, it was a big deal. I mean, huge. For a city that sometimes feels like it was built entirely out of plastic and pixie dust, having a piece of Memphis soul right there on I-Drive felt authentic. It wasn’t just a tourist trap. Locals actually went there.
The venue was massive. We’re talking three distinct areas: two outdoor patios, a mezzanine that gave you a bird’s-eye view of the Gibson Lucille guitars on the walls, and the main floor where the magic happened.
Then 2020 hit.
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The pandemic was a wrecking ball for the hospitality industry, but Pointe Orlando got hit especially hard. While some spots pivoted or held on by a thread, B.B. King’s Blues Club, along with its sister venues Itta Bena and Lafayette’s, ended up closing their doors for good. It wasn't just a "closed for renovation" situation. It was a permanent goodbye to the 1,800-capacity house of blues.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Closing
People love a good conspiracy. If you dig through Reddit or old forums, you'll see rumors about rent hikes or "shootouts in the parking lot." While the Pointe Orlando area has definitely seen its share of drama and rising commercial costs, the simple, boring truth is mostly about the math.
B.B. King’s lived on conventions.
When the Orange County Convention Center across the street went quiet, the lifeblood of the restaurant vanished. You can’t pay the bills on a massive 10,000-square-foot club with just a few locals grabbing fried pickles on a Tuesday. Without those thousands of corporate attendees looking for a place to let loose after a keynote speech, the "King of the Blues" lost his Florida throne.
The Menu We All Miss
If you ever ate at the bb king restaurant florida, you know it wasn't exactly "diet food." It was soul food. Greasy, salty, beautiful soul food.
The "Lip Smacking Ribs" were the star of the show. They were dry-rubbed, slow-cooked, and finished with a sauce that stayed on your fingers for three days. You also had the catfish bites—cornmeal-breaded and served with "comeback sauce." I don't know what was in that sauce, but it lived up to the name.
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They had this thing called the Soul Sampler. It was basically a heart attack on a plate: catfish, fried pickles, and spinach dip. It was perfect.
A Quick Look at the Lost Menu Hits
- The Hoochie Coochie Man: A drink that probably shouldn't have been legal. Cognac, brandy-infused orange liqueur, and lemon juice topped with Moscato.
- Chicken and Waffles: Served with whole wings and strawberries.
- Shrimp n' Grits: A staple that used a chipotle cream sauce instead of the traditional gravy.
Is There Anywhere Left to Hear the Blues?
So, is the B.B. King experience totally dead in Florida? Well, yes and no.
If you’re looking for a brick-and-mortar B.B. King’s Blues Club in West Palm Beach or Orlando, you’re out of luck. The CityPlace location in West Palm is gone too.
However, there’s a weird loophole. Holland America Line.
Seriously. If you really want that specific vibe—the All-Star Band, the Memphis songbook, the whole aesthetic—you have to get on a cruise ship. Several Holland America ships still feature B.B. King’s Blues Club as a nightly entertainment venue. It’s the same branding, the same music style, just on the water instead of I-Drive.
If you want to stay on dry land in Florida, you’ve basically got two options for a similar "dinner and a show" experience:
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- House of Blues (Disney Springs): It’s the obvious choice. It’s corporate, sure, but the Gospel Brunch is still a vibe.
- The Blue Note (various locations/pop-ups): Occasionally, you’ll find blues-centric residencies in Miami or Tampa, but nothing has quite replaced the scale of what King had at the Pointe.
What Really Happened to the Space?
The old B.B. King’s spot didn't stay empty forever. Nothing stays empty in Orlando for long.
The space has since been carved up and replaced by newer, more "modern" concepts like Sports & Social. It’s more of a high-tech sports bar vibe now—lots of LED screens, betting-adjacent atmospheres, and loud pop music. It’s "lively," but it definitely doesn't have the soul of a man playing a guitar named Lucille.
Some people say the "new" Pointe Orlando is better. It’s cleaner, certainly. But for anyone who remembers the feeling of the floor shaking when the bass kicked in at the bb king restaurant florida, a sports bar just isn't the same.
Actionable Steps for Blues Fans in Florida
Since you can't walk into the restaurant anymore, here is what you can actually do to get your fix:
- Check the Tour Schedule: The "B.B. King Blues Club All-Stars" still tour as a standalone act. They often play at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach or smaller theaters in Orlando. They carry the torch even without the kitchen.
- Visit the Original: If you’re really craving the authentic experience, Memphis is the only way to go. The Beale Street location is the flagship and it’s still kicking.
- Support Local Blues: Spots like Tanqueray's in downtown Orlando (it’s a literal basement) or Lil' Indies offer that gritty, authentic live music feel that B.B. King’s used to provide, albeit on a much smaller scale.
The bb king restaurant florida might be a memory now, but the music it brought to I-Drive for over a decade changed the way people viewed Orlando's entertainment. It proved that you could have soul in the land of the Mouse.
If you're headed to Orlando today, don't look for the neon crown at the Pointe. Instead, head to a local dive, find a band playing a 12-bar blues, and order a bourbon. It's what the King would've wanted anyway.
Next Steps for Your Trip:
- Check the current event calendar for the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts; they often host world-class blues and jazz acts that replaced the "national touring" slot B.B. King's once filled.
- If you're in the West Palm area, look into The Funky Biscuit in nearby Boca Raton—it's widely considered the spiritual successor for high-end blues and rock in South Florida.