bistro de paris or chef's de france

[jacncaitsmom]

I am assuming the Bistro is better because reservations for this are only 30 days out. Can anyone give me more information? I've read the menus on wdwig, but still can't decide. Also, does Bistro not have a kids menu?

[amw5g]

I believe the Bistro does have a kids menu, as I saw some kids there a few weeks ago eating items not on the standard menu. Looked like pasta? But wasn't paying much attention. For our money, the upstairs is much better. I reviewed our recent experience in a post last week. Let me know if you can't find it and want to see it.

-Andrew

[raidermatt]

Bistro does have a children's menu, or at least it did in May.

Bistro is a more intimate setting. Quieter, tables are separated by partitions with planters, that sort of thing.

Personally, I prefer Chefs because I found Bistro to be a little TOO quiet. The service was extremeley attentive but slow. In other words, our waiter was always checking on us, very polite and conversational. But it took a long time for our dinner to come, and then we waited for dessert. I've been told that this is more like how dinner is served in real French restaurants.

When we ate at Chef's, the service was just as good, but a little faster.

[jabrown40]

We just ate at Chef's last week, and it was very good. It is a little noisy, but our waitress was very fun, friendly, and my two teenage sons loved her French accent. Of course, she was pretty too! My 14 year old ate off of the kids menu, but 16 year old loved the filet. I had a seafood casserole thing, with scallops, grouper, salmon and I think shrimp in a saffron sauce. It was pretty good. The best part of my meal was the dessert - profiteroles - cream puffs filled with vanilla ice cream with warm chocolate sauce over the top. If I was with kids, Chefs would be fine. Just me and hubby - probably Bistro.

[Uncleromulus]

Much prefer the Bistro--as raidermatt said, it is more intimate, quiet, attentive service.
Chef's is almost exactly the opposite. And the last time we ate there, we had absolutely the WORST individual server that we've ever had in WDW since 1975. By the end of the meal I was ready to punch him in the nose--he was THAT bad.
Should add that we ate at Chef's one other time and service then was OK.

[jacncaitsmom]

BUT......with 2 kids...should we still try Bistro? My kids are 5 and 7 and know how to behave at a nice dinner. BUT.....will they be totally out of place. Would they be more comfortable downstairs?

[amw5g]

Upstairs is a bit more quiet, as someone pointed out. The waiters glide around, making the crepes, pouring wine, etc. Downstairs, I felt a bit mroe bustle, the lights are brighter and it may be a tad louder. Neither really screams out at me, "please take a kid here, for the love of all things Disney!" But I don't see why a child couldn't have a nice sit-down meal with his/her family in either location, as well. If they need constant stimuli to keep them in their seats and mildly behaved, I would venture to guess you wouldn't be considering either option, in the first place.

They are both restaurants, and both lack any entertainment specifically geared towards children- no characters, rides, flashing lights or TV monitors. I believe that in Chefs, people have reported seeing that statue-character from the glass dining room. But upstairs you can get a half-way decent view of Illuminations. One child may be comfortable in both, another may be comfortable in neither. Tell us what things make your children feel "in place" and perhaps we can share with you our own opinions.

Personally, if my children were well behaved, I would gladly take them to as many different restaurants as possible. And in that case, I would opt for Bistro (not because Chefs is bad, but we found Bistro better, IMHO). However, I have no children, so it's not yet an issue.....

Yours is a question with many possible answers.
Andrew

[din]

Our first visit to Bistro was when DS was 2 years old, and have been there every time we are at WDW. BTW now we have two DS and the 2 year old DS is now a 11 year old and let me tell you he can eat the escargot all by himself while DW and myself habe to share another!!! :D We have created a gourmet monster!! LOL

Chef's is okay and as mentioned by others, it is a little noisy.

Being WDW they take of children well.