Local chain resturants, parking for a short time?

[bookgirl]

Looks like we may not be hitting the parks on first day of our trip (midmorning Sunday arrival).

My mom is tagging along and her cousin from San Diego is going to drive up and meet us for dinner and to catch up. (hadn't seen her for years but she did a cross country road trip a few years ago and reconnected. She's really sweet and she didn't get to see much of me so really wants to spend time with me, so I don't really mind giving up a partial day) I think we plan to have dinner/late lunch.

I know I could make a ADR but honestly I think everyone may want a casual dining place where we wouldn't feel bad about sitting around and talking. (Disney often is a little more rushed about wanting their tables back, at least at WDW). Plus I know that weekends are busy so DTD may be crowded and not conducive to a long chat.

Is there an area that has some basics like Chili's, Cracker Barrel, BJ's Warehouse (we tend to eat at a lot of local places at home but these are the type chains that I know we like). Even local places with a good recommendation would be great. (I know she likes TexMex as that's where we took her to dinner when she visited us)

Then if we decide to hang at the hotel (BWPPI) is there a public garage close or should I just ask about one day parking at the hotel (I don't mind paying for a permit for her even though she will not be staying overnight).

 

[SMD]

There's the Anaheim GardenWalk, it has 1 hour free parking and then it's $3 for the next hour. Most of the restaurants on Harbor are attached to hotels and share the lot. I think Mimi's might be the only one with it's own lot. Parking at the hotel gets you in and out privileges, so that would give you more freedom to meet at the hotel, then drive somewhere further away, then go back to the hotel.

 

[bookgirl]

Actually I just called my hotel and went ahead and added a one day parking pass to my reservation, so that will take care of any talk time at the hotel. I've been doing google map searches and you're right I didn't see any kind of public parking so the one day hotel pass was worth it. Now I just need to find someplace to go eat. I think what we want is an area not far away but away from the Harbor Blvd parking nightmare.

Pizza/Italian is a no go, as are sandwich places.

I remember I was there in 2000 staying off site about 2 miles away and back then it was really hard to find dining mostly because we were so unfamiliar with the area and it was the early stages of internet resources so I was winging it.

 

[taffy]

There are some great places to eat at Garden Walk as SMD said. We like Bubba Gump but there is also a CPK there.

 

[taffy]

http://www.anaheimgardenwalk.com/dining/

 

[RemainSeatedPlease]

I do just want to mention that I have not noticed Disney trying to quickly get people in and out at DLR. Dining, even table dining, at DLR is MUCH more laid back. ADRs are not as hard to come by and I have never felt rushed. So you may not want to rule that out completely.

 

[taffy]

Looking at that list I would totally do the Cheesecake Factory.

 

[Angrose]

I also agree that we have never felt rushed dining at Disneyland. We recently had the Fantasmic! dinner package at Blue Bayou, and our waitress was so nice, telling us to take as much time as we wanted. I recommend Tangaroa Terrace at the DLH. You can park in the DTD lot for free for 3 hours, so you wouldn't need to feel rushed (DLH is very close to the DTD parking lot). TT is counter service (burgers, fish tacos, flat breads), but it's also next to Trader Sam's which is a fun tiki bar. They also have music on the terrace in the evenings. It's such a chilled, relax vibe, overlooking the DLH pools. Actually, you could eat anywhere in DTD for that matter and then go to Trader Sam's and hang out on the terrace afterwards. If you eat at a table service restaurant in DTD then you can get your parking validated for up to 5 hours.

 

[bookgirl]

Okay I'm looking at Garden walk now.

 

[SMD]

If you want something a little further out, look at Anaheim Packing District. It's a food court, but they're unique, not chains. If you can't all fit in the car, you could take ART to Knott's for fried chicken dinner. There's also Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles another block past Anaheim GardenWalk on Harbor. You can find other free standing chains in the area, but it's getting to the time of year where you want to check the hockey and baseball schedules to see if they'll be crowded with game crowds.

 

[bookgirl]

Good to know about the games, we're there May 3-6 so it seems to be a sorta quiet week as far as the actual parks go (Sunday is 6/10 on touring plans but Monday/Tuesday are 4's). So walking over to DTD might not be a problem, and we'll already be parked at the hotel.

I need to call and see what the cousin would prefer. She's in her 70's or 80's (can't remember) but still pretty mobile (she's driving up from San Diego). If she wants to park and walk we'll go to DTD or one of the hotels. If she wants to drive I'll see what kind of places she'd prefer. (my folks are in mid 60's and early 70's and slow walkers so that will play in as well).

 

[nikkislaght]

we always do a Baba Gump and then a Cheesecake Factory night. in that same bloc is a Schmick and McCormicks or whatever they are.. all on Katella

 

[bookgirl]

I saw those that looks like the Garden Walk area. I've never eaten at any of them. Schmick and Bubba Gump looks like they're mainly seafood and neither my mom or I like seafood and honestly places that specialize in seafood usually smell like seafood. However Cheesecake factory has regular stuff and it looks like they also have salmon which my step dad loves, so that's in the running for sure.

I was also looking at Tortilla Joe's in DTD.

 

[bumbershoot]

Cheesecake Factory's menu is so vast it can take care of just about any dining needs.

 

[tarheelalum]

Roscoe's chicken and waffles on harbor. Free parking for patrons. Great food.

 

[stacielee]

I saw those that looks like the Garden Walk area. I've never eaten at any of them. Schmick and Bubba Gump looks like they're mainly seafood and neither my mom or I like seafood and honestly places that specialize in seafood usually smell like seafood. However Cheesecake factory has regular stuff and it looks like they also have salmon which my step dad loves, so that's in the running for sure.

I was also looking at Tortilla Joe's in DTD.

The salmon at Cheesecake Factory is AWESOME! And this comes from someone who is very picky about her salmon.

 

[bookgirl]

The salmon at Cheesecake Factory is AWESOME! And this comes from someone who is very picky about her salmon.

Good to know. We have one here in town, but it just never someplace I thought to go..

 

[Gisele]

Cheesecake Factory is totally yummy!
I suggest their Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake,to die for.

 

[grammakelly]

We really liked Tortilla Jo's in DTD. My husband is Hispanic, and will NOT eat any Mexican food except his Mom's. Even he said it was OK and would go back. (High praise indeed!)