Bad & Good Service/Food at WDW Restaurants

[letterdavidman]

Hi, all!

Since DW and I have less than sixty days left to go til we check into AKL , I was just thinking about all the Disney dining that we're going to be doing while there (much of it for the first time), and I got to wondering, is there any one (or two, or three or four ) restaurant(s) that, in your opinion has/have the absolute best service and food, time and time again? (I will exclude Victoria and Albert's from consideration, because I know of its impeccable reputation, and also we won't be dining there.) Are there any Disney restaurants where the food is absolutely awesome, but the service is just so-so, at best? How about any with GREAT service, but fair-to-midling food? And, in your opinions, what are the Disney sit down restaurants to avoid like the proverbial bubonic plague (e.g., terrible food AND service)?

Your considered opinions are, as always, very illuminating!!

 

[jimmiej]

in your opinion has/have the absolute best service and food, time and time again?

Boma!

 

[LARABABE]

We loved Boma at AKL for dinner and Hollywood & Vine's buffet. Tony's Town Square at Magic Kingdom and Mama Melrose at MGM. We love the burgers at Cosmic Rays because of all the fixins'. Rainforest Café is great too, a bit expensive but a fun experience especially if you have never been. Don't go there if you are wet and fresh off of Kali River rapids because it is pretty damp and cold in there and you will freeze!

We hated Garden Grill at Epcot (this was before they changed the menu, but I recently read a horrible review).

The Cantina San Angel at Epcot was pretty mediocre too.

Have fun!!!

 

[epcotfan]

Strangest service was at Hollywood and Vine at MGM. The waiter wouldn't leave us alone. Kept talking to us while our food got cold. Food made me sick.
Hands down best service, Maya Grill and The Plaza Restaurant. Attentive and quick without being bothersome.

 

[Original19]

As far as Counter Service goes we loved The Riverside Mill at Port Orleans Riverside (and for Table Service Boatwrights isn't bad either come to think of it).

Liberty Tree Tavern, at the Magic Kingdom, is always a winner.

Seasons, in The Land, wasn't all that great.

 

[Uncleromulus]

For us, it would be Jiko, Citricos, Narcoosees.
Avoid Fultons at all costs--.

 

[dmslush]

When we went in 2001, we only had two complaints the entire time. Rainforest Cafe in AK, their service was horrible. We stopped there for breakfast and the food was pretty good actually. The waitress we had was actually training a new girl, so we had two waitresses to make sure that everything was okay. Well, they refilled SO's drink and dd's, but never refilled mine. Now, I know that sounds trivial, but I am talking that they people came to the table several times and didn't even speak to me. I asked for a refill, the smiled at me, I never got the refill. I would be hard pressed to go back there. Now, on the other hand RFC in Downtown Disney, well it was fabulous!

We also hated the Ice Cream Social in Epcot. The characters actually walked by, patted dd on the head and left! They wouldn't sign autographs or pose for pictures. It was HORRIBLE!!

 

[Alicnwondrln]

Whispering Canyon at WL
it is always great and the gf cafe for luch was awesome we ate there almost everyday

 

[BESUNNYSIDEUP]

I have already book mine for end of July . I am starting to think I made a few bad choices.
Anyone know if Sci-Fi or Garden Grill Dinner is any good? I have heard bad reviews on both and DO NOT want to waste my dinner plan on a bad meal.

Our little boy will be with us and I want the food to be good but also for the place to have a high "Neat" or "wow" factor.
HELP!

 

[bicker]

For service, my favorites were Citricos, Artist Point, and Chef de France. For food quality, my favorites were Citricos, Artist Point, and Chef de France.

Seriously, those three restaurants stand-out in my mind as being the best of both. Narcoossee and Palio were really good with regard to both service and food quality, just below my top three. California Grill and Flying Fish had great atmosphere and pretty good food, but service was sometimes superior and sometime distressingly unattentive. Spoodles was always great, but not in the same class as the others. Le Cellier, Rose and Crown and Brown Derby are always pretty good, but also not in the same class as the others. We haven't been to Yachtsmans Steakhouse often enough to have enough basis to say how good it is on the average.

 

[letterdavidman]

First--let me say, you guys are awesome! As usual. It's entirely too cool to read about all of your considered opinions, and I'm always surprised by what the DISers have to say on a topic.

I've noticed that a few of you have given (mostly) positive marks to the Rainforest Cafe. And that's cool. Now, my DW and I ate there for lunch on our last trip to the World (at the AK location), and we found it to be solidly, well, mediocre. I mean, it wasn't horrible, or anything, but it just wasn't worth what we paid for, IMO. But, hey, it is just that--my opinion.

See, when it comes to restaurants, what really gets me (and I'm sure most people) is when I'm ignored. As in, (and this is a typical experience for me when I go to this place in any of its several locations around southwest Ohio) when DW and I attempt to dine at an Olive Garden, and we're seated, and then it's like twenty minutes (or more) before the server in our section even acknowledges our presence, much less takes our drink order (and this, mind you, is when they're not even busy). I mean, all I ask is, if the server is feeling particularly harried that day, just acknowledge us. Say, "Hi. I'll be with you in just a moment." And, voila! I'm totally cool. But waiting upwards of twenty minutes while the server walks around and even glances over at us several times... well, not my idea of good service. And I also don't care for an even slightly surly attitude, like when the server comes up and interacts with us like she/he can barely tolerate to even be there and wait on us (I call it an irritated monotone... with lots of barely disguised sighs thrown in for good measure).

Of course, there is the other side of the coin (which, thankfully, DW and I experience far more often), when servers are just getting slammed and yet, are supernice and effusive, and really do an awesome job in general.

I was just wondering how the Disney restaurants rated when it came to criteria like this. I'm sure the service is probably almost universally awesome.

Anyway, thank you so much for imparting your experiences to me.

 

[YesYourMajesty]

For us, it would be Jiko, Citricos, Narcoosees.
Avoid Fultons at all costs--.

We've had top notch service at Fulton's both times we have dined there. They have good seafood and we have never had a problem with the wait staff. I am sorry to hear that you did not have the same type of experience.

 

[scrump]

I usually don't order a drink at dinner, I'm a water person. I do remember once a waiter at LeCellier kept harassing me to get a drink. I thought that was unusual.

We've always had fabulous service at Boma. We love that place.

 

[Deb & Bill]

We usually go to Liberty Tree Tavern for lunch and the Plaza for any meal on every trip. Last time we did LTT for lunch twice. Service is very good and the food is excellent. The Plaza is another place with great service and excellent food. Plus Boatwrights over at POR is another hidden gem.

Now, as for RFC, I've tried it twice and I refuse to eat there ever again. Service was good on our last trip but the food was inedible. Never, never, never again.

 

[BESUNNYSIDEUP]

What about the garden grill dinner? Any good? Any other suggestions (TS) for when we are doing the Epcot thing?

Any other MUST DO places to eat with a 5 year old boy?
We are doing Sci-Fi, Rainforest, Chef Mickeys, CRT (for me) and Ohana's.

 

[disneyholic family]

I have already book mine for end of July . I am starting to think I made a few bad choices.
Anyone know if Sci-Fi or Garden Grill Dinner is any good? I have heard bad reviews on both and DO NOT want to waste my dinner plan on a bad meal.

Our little boy will be with us and I want the food to be good but also for the place to have a high "Neat" or "wow" factor.
HELP!

the sci-fi food was awful in my opinion, but the place would have a 'neat' factor for a little boy....

 

[jenrose66]

My favorite places to eat at Disney are Yactsman Steakhouse for a late dinner and Boatwrights for a sweet potato pancake breakfast. Also cs at flame tree bbq if you're at the animal kingdom.

I would avoid Fulton's and Alfredo's. Both very expensive and horribly mediocre.

I'll be sure to post my dining experiences when I get back from Disney. We're leaving in a little more than a week and plan to do lots of eating!

 

[pnutmnm]

We had PS for all of our TS meals and still waited for a lot of them. Here's where we were:

Concourse Steakhouse - waited 30 minutes.
Food: Excellent
Service: Excellent

Donald's Breakfastosaurus - waited 1 hour and checked in 15 minutes early!
Food: Regular breakfast buffet fare. The breakfast pizza was great!
Service: Below average - bussed our own plates to an empty table
Character Interaction: Great!

Sci-Fi - waited 30 minutes and checked in 10 minutes early. This was fine
since it was totally pouring outside!!
Food: My pasta was great, but DH said the ribs were very dry.
Below average
Service: Way below average. It took us 2 1/2 hours to get through the
meal and get the bill. I was still ok with this...as it was pouring
outside!

Tony's - Checked in 15 minutes early and were seated in 10
Food: Mediocre
Service: I felt like we were a total bother to our waiter (Robert). In and
out in a little over an hour.

Le Cellier - Waited 5 minutes
Food: Awesome! There is not much more that I can say! Probably the best
meal we ate!
Service: Our server, Marie Claud, was a total sweetie! Everything was
perfect.

Shutters at Old Port Royale (Carribean Beach Resort) - Called in the morning for a seating and no problem. Less than a 5 minute wait.
Food: Very good and good size portions. No complaints from anyone.
Service: Very good.

Cinderella's Royal Table - We took the in-laws out for dinner (for my FIL's birthday). I stated this when I made the reservation and told them I wanted it to be a surprise. All was well...they decorated the table and everything. Our server then came over and asked who's special day it was.
**Paying for my in-laws (although not really, extra TS credits) a "privilge" for once...the look on my FIL's face...TOTALLY priceless!!!
Food: Very good, although I didn't like the "so-called pasta" that came with
my pork tenderloin.
Service: Saied was really great.

 

[letterdavidman]

Thanks, pnutmnm! That was a great and detailed breakdown of your most recent TS dining experiences! I'm a bit alarmed to see that, despite having PS's, you frequently had some VERY loooong waits. I'm not one for waiting much more than 20-30 minutes (and, really, IMO 30 minutes is too much if you've made a reservation--which, in essence, is all a PS, or AR really is), especially when I'm missing valuable park-touring time.

Anyway, glad you guys enjoyed your trip!

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

I don't think you're going to find really bad service at any of the restaurants in WDW. All of the CM's come from the same first class pool of Disney employees. However, as far as food, Jiko is our all time fav and that includes V&A as we have eaten there a couple times. Our least favs are Seven Dragons in the China Pavillion at Epcot and Concourse Steakhouse. Seven Dragons: Not horrible, but not unlike anything you'd get at a takeout place at home. Concourse Steakhouse: No matter how hard I try, they can never cook my steaks rare. They usually come out Medium, which cooks alot of flavor out of the steak, IMO.