Kissimmee has one of the largest Puerto Rican and Dominican populations in Florida outside Miami, and the eating scene along US-192 and around the historic downtown reflects that. You can eat extraordinarily well here if you look past the chain restaurants aimed at theme park visitors.
El Cilantrillo on US-192 is the place for Puerto Rican comfort food — mofongo (mashed plantain stuffed with meat or seafood) is the signature dish, and the atmosphere leans lively. Perico Ripiao on the same strip does Dominican food the way it is eaten at home: rice, beans, braised meats, and fried plantain in generous portions. La Mexicana serves authentic Mexican rather than the Tex-Mex chain version, and the handmade tortillas alone justify the stop.
The 1881 Restaurant and Bar in the historic downtown occupies a preserved late-Victorian building that served as a hardware store for most of its life. It is more upscale than most Kissimmee options, good for a sit-down meal after visiting the lakefront.