Bob Marley – A Tribute to Freedom is a Jamaican restaurant slash club located at the Universal City Walk in Orlando, Florida. As its name suggests, the resto-bar serves as a tribute to the most prominent figure in reggae music, Bob Nesta Marley. Dubbed by most people as the “Reggae King,” Bob Marley played a huge role in bringing Jamaican music into the international music mainstream and in popularizing the Rastafari movement.
Located at the Universal resort in Orlando, The Tribute to Freedom restaurant’s exterior is fashioned after Bob Marley’s actual home in Kingston, Jamaica. The design and creation of the venue was undertaken in close cooperation with Bob’s widow, Rita Marley, to ensure that the restaurant will stay true to the different aspects of Bob Marley’s life, works, and personality. Hung on the walls are various Marley memorabilia like artifacts, posters, and photos, some of which were donated by Rita Marley.
It’s not anymore surprising to find a restaurant that pays tribute to Bob Marley. See that’s how legendary this man was – there are Bob Marley recipes for cocktail drinks, Bob Marley hostels, Bob Marley merchandise, Bob Marley everything. However, what sets the Bob Marley – A Tribute to Freedom Restaurant and Bar is that its an almost exact exterior replication of Bob’s home in Jamaica. Also, the fact that his wife was thoroughly consulted during the entire process lends a different level of accuracy in the portrayal of the reggae legend’s life.
The Bob Marley – A Tribute to Freedom Restaurant and Bar is also a venue for local reggae bands and acts to perform not only Marley’s songs but other reggae classics as well. The live band starts playing at around 8pm, and it is during this time that the crowd really picks up and heads to the dance floor with Red Stripes (Jamaican beer) in hand. Naturally, some of the menu offerings are named after certain Bob Marley songs like Is This Love (mango cheesecake with pineapple dessert), Stir It Up (Cheese fondue with vegetables, crackers, etc.), Buffalo Soldier (spicy chicken wings), and tons more.
The Tribute to Freedom Restaurant and Bar is the ideal place for reggae and Marley fans to go to if they want to groove to reggae beats Jamaica-style.