7 days / 8 nights on the DxDP: Which new restaurants are the best choices?

[Sea Creature Turner]

So, we're going back to WDW in December 2012 (just before the Earth is destroyed by a flaming Mayan supercomet), and we'll be doing the deluxe dining plan for the second time (the first was during our last trip down, back in 2008). To that end, I was pondering all the restaurants that we haven't yet tried, and, as seven days is nowhere near an eternity and our time will be limited, was wondering which of the ones we haven't dined at yet are absolute must dos? Alternatively, which, if any, would we be better served by avoiding? (Of course, we do have our favorites that we never, ever pass up; those being: Yachtsman Steakhouse, Boma (especially for dinner, but breakfast is great, too), and, to a lesser extent, Jiko.)

Anyway, here's the master list of restaurants we've both never tried, and are at least kind of interested in checking out (unless we read overwhelming negative reaction in this thread):

• Yak and Yeti
• Brown Derby
• Akershus Royal Banquet Hall
• Bistro de Paris
• La Hacienda (and La Cantina) de San Angel
• Nine Dragons
• Tokyo Dining
• Tutto Italia
• Via Napoli
• Casey's Corner
• Liberty Tree Tavern
• Plaza Restaurant
• Tony's Town Square
• Sanaa
• Beaches and Cream
• Flying Fish
• Kouzzina
• California Grill
• The Wave
• Citricos
• Narcoossee's
• 'Ohana
• Turf Club
• Artist Point
• Whispering Canyon Cafe
• Captain's Grille
• Fulton's Crab House
• Pollo Campero
• Paradiso 37 (not sure if this is included in the dining plan)
• Portobello
• Wolfgang Puck "The Dining Room"

Yeah, that's a mighty lengthy list. Sorry. Anyway, what say you all about any of the choices above? Any must-dos? Any "never-agains"?

TIA!

 

[thebreards]

Yak and Yeti- Never eaten at the sit down, but there is also a counter service if that works for you.....SUPERB! and just enough to get us through the day since we like to do our sit down at night

Brown Derby- very good- haven't been there since we had kids though- I am not big on bringing little ones to areas were people are trying to enjoy their meal.

Akershus Royal Banquet Hall- on my to do list next time

Bistro de Paris- ok but not a great selection- but I am a little spoiled when it comes to French Food

La Hacienda (and La Cantina) de San Angel- Good- I actually prefer this place at lunch time though- menue is different at night

Nine Dragons- ok, but nothing I can't get near my house so I would skip it

Casey's Corner- I believe this is just hot dogs.....

Liberty Tree Tavern- also on my to do list for next trip

Tony's Town Square- really good Italian- menu changes between lunch and dinner and would recommend either

Beaches and Cream- the BEST shakes! and a good burger

Flying Fish- on my to list

The Wave- never tried but have heard nothing but great reviews

Whispering Canyon Cafe- a MUST do if you have kids.....they love that they can act a fool and it is acceptable and actually expected

Fulton's Crab House- ok if you need to burn a meal at Downtown

 

[aripantaloon]

We love Flying Fish, Narcoossees, and California Grill for signature dinners. Very yummy food for sure.

I've eaten at LTT for lunch twice and it's good; not out-of-this-world good, but I don't think any of the non-signature places will be. I've had the pot roast and thought it was really yummy, but way too big of a serving. Not that it matters on the dining plan anyway. Last time, I had the turkey and was disappointed because it was dry. For that reason, we'll probably never eat dinner there since that's all they serve for dinner. I am planning on going there again on our next trip for lunch, though.

We're had lunch at Akershus twice, too. We go there for the princesses, not the food. I get the "salisbury steak" type meal and it's not bad. Again, not gourmet food. The cold buffet is nice to get some salads and fruit and sample some other traditional dishes.

At at Tony's last time for dinner. Again, nothing outstanding about it. We did like that we were able to walk out of dinner and sit down on the curb for a good seat for the parade, though. That's the only reason we would eat there again since it wasn't a stand-out.

We had dinner at Yak and Yeti last time and according to my DH we liked it. We just talked about this the other day, but I said that all I could remember was that my older DD cried pretty much through the meal that her throat hurt and she felt a bit hot. I was mainly focused on her and worrying that it was strep again (it wasn't). So, I guess we liked the meal. I think we're going to try it again this trip.

Brown Derby - we ate there once several years ago. I liked it, but DH didn't think it was that good compared to other places we ate. Haven't been back since, but I wouldn't write if off of my list.

I don't think Fulton's or Wolfgang Puck's place is on the dining plan.

Haven't been to others on your list, but would like to try a few. I think the adults in our family would like WCC, but our kids probably would not since they are picky.

 

[nkereina]

I probably wouldn't eat at Tony's again. Thought the food was mediocre at best and the sauce did nothing for me. It just wasn't good. We also felt really rushed in there. I would eat there again if I really wanted a TS and nothing was available, but we aren't running back there.

Beaches & Cream is good but since you can't make ADRs, get there at opening for lunch or else you could have a heck of a wait. Not much seating and it tends to get busy since it's right by SAB.

We liked WCC for dinner but it is very noisy. My BF and I were sat towards the back at a two seater table right next to the fireplace. Would have been romantic had it not been for the pony rides and our server yelling for ketchup I'm not big on BBQ - I got the pasta dish which I did not like but my BF got the skillet and he said it was good. I'd just get the skillet next time.

We loved Via Napoli, thought the pizza was very good. They allowed us to split a large using 2 TS credits. Very similar to any standard brick oven/coal fired pizza but very good.

We did Ohana breakfast and probably won't do breakfast there again. We did not like family style skillet - choices were very limited and servers weren't attentive enough to bring us more, and we felt weird about asking for more. We much prefer the breakfast buffets where there are far more choices (Tusker House was our favorite breakfast).

I don't believe any of these are on the dining plan:
Fulton's Crab House
Pollo Campero
Paradiso 37
Portobello

You said Wolfgang Puck "The Dining Room" - Wolfgang Puck Cafe (1st Floor) is what is on the dining plan, not sure if thats the same. I'm thinking so.

 

[Quin]

Yak & Yeti TS is really good. And at AK the menu is the same for lunch and dinner because their 'dinner hours' are so limited due to early park closing. For DxDP I'd definitely have a snack for breakfast, this restaurant for lunch, and then a nice Signature dinner someplace after AK closed.

Tutto: nobody can say, because it's closing for refurb the beginning of 2012. Might reopen exactly the same with a new carpet, or might be a completely different restaurant.

LTT: lunch yes, dinner no - the family style traditional meal does not appeal to me.

Wave: on DxDP I really want to try this one for breakfast rather than any of the other meals. They have both a menu and a non-character buffet breakfast available, and it looks really good. A little less kid-centric than most.

Ohana - Seriously? You haven't had dinner at Ohana? Try it; it's our must-do.

Turf Club is nice and quiet, and the food is pretty good. A little off the beaten path, but that's not a bad thing. December, though; you probably won't be wanting a table out on that nice porch that overlooks the golf course.

Artist Point and Flying Fish are 2 Signatures that I really want to try; the menus look great. They both get good reviews.

Akershus - only if you need a serious Princess fix. Food - not so much.

 

[bedogged]

In my opinion ALL the signature dinning spots are worth trying and I would recommend any of them. In addition, I would recommend Yak & Yeti, and Sanaa. I would omitt Liberty Tree Tavern (Stoffers TV dinners), The Wave, (Hair in food and dirty glasses) and Ohana (dry meat and awful service).

 

[goofyintoronto]

Ive been to most, and theyre pretty good. The ones that stand out to me are Cali Grill & Tonys. Cali Grill is AWESOME! By far the best steak ive ever had!

And Tonys is absolutely DISGUSTING. Run the other way, dont walk, RUN. Its awful. i'd much rather crack open a can of chef boyardee and sprinkle some parmesan cheese on it. Much better meal than the crap they serve at Tonys. {insert gagging noise here}

 

[jenandjuice]

Love this thread

We're going November 2012 and doing deluxe dining plan....I've only ever gone to Disney with family that wanted to do cs or cheap sandwiches made in the hotel (not that there is anything wrong with that), I'm just really really looking forward to enjoying all the wonderful dining experiences that disney has to offer

 

[Eeyore98]

We've only tried a few of the places on your list, it seems.


La Cantina de San Angel - Pretty much all we've ever gotten here is the nachos. They are decent but not anything spectacular. Oh, and the frozen margarita is good too - and strong, which is more than I can say for the separate margarita stand.

Nine Dragons - We enjoyed this. Their chicken dishes use white meat, which is pretty much impossible to find in our local Chinese restaurants.

Casey's Corner - Never had the hotdogs here. Fries are ok.

Tony's Town Square - Their NY Strip is very flavorful! Beware any dish with marinara sauce, especially the chicken parm.

 

[rubysparkles]

I can recommend Sanaa. Lovely setting and we all really enjoyed our food. Don't be put off if you're not a fan of spicy foods, you can get completely mild food if you ask. I like spicy, but my family don't and we all found things we loved.

 

[lala31864]

Narcoosee's and Cali Grill excellent, a must do for us

Beaches & Cream awesome burgers and shakes

Liberty Tree Tavern great lunch

Captains Grill had a very good dinner, my steak was amazing, which surprised me because I have eaten next door at the Yachtsman and it was horrible.

Not a big fan of O'hana, we had breakfast, service and food were not good. Loved Kona for breakfast.

 

[PrincessAurora]

Yak and Yeti - Ate at the bar (1st visit) and had the Kobe burger with fries. BEST FRIES EVER and that burger was pretty tasty. Going again in March. Get the Yak Attack frosty adult beverage. They make it better at the bar than the one you can get outside at the take out place.

Brown Derby - Very nice food and ambiance. Have never had a bad meal here. Just don't like the park so I don't go often. Grapefruit cake for dessert is a must. I can't speak to the Cobb Salad since I'm allergic to bleu cheese but all the meat dishes I've had here over the years were tops!

Akershus Royal Banquet Hall - Best food in Epcot unless you think food outside your regional zone is "weird". I brave the Princess Parade each trip just for the Norwegian food. The herring and the "caramel cheese" are sooooo good! Wash it down with an aqua vite cocktail.

Bistro de Paris - Decent food. Dinner is better than lunch. Escargot for sure. Make sure they give you real butter. One time they tried to pawn off margarine on me. In FRANCE! Really?

La Hacienda (and La Cantina) de San Angel - Overpriced, spotty Mexican food. Then again, I'm in California and I'm surrounded by awesome Mexican food.

Nine Dragons - This is where cold, greasy noodles go to die. Friends don't let friends eat here. Again, California - surrounded by excellent Chinese/Japanese food and this isn't it. WAY overpriced. Bet you get better at your local hole in the wall place unless you are in Virginia City, Nevada. That Chinese food was terrible!

Tokyo Dining - VERY good! I adore sushi and theirs is fresh and yummy though they don't offer as much selection as I am use to. Recommend it for sure!

Tutto Italia - Haven't gone - being Italian I'm a little picky about Italian food that I (or my Noni) didn't cook.

Via Napoli - Ditto

Casey's Corner - Don't really do much counter service.

Liberty Tree Tavern - The last time I went Mickey dropped the whole salt shaker in my food making it inedible. However there have been rave reviews the past few years of the improvement in the food and I would be willing to give it another try.

Plaza Restaurant - Never been.

Tony's Town Square - Was there once. Heard it was awful. Our lunch wasn't spectacular but wasn't horrible. It was just mediocre. The stench coming off the seafood pasta that walked by our table was horrid and I love seafood. If you have other options, I'd skip it.

Sanaa - Missed it last trip as I did Jiko instead and their menu didn't excite me (they just opened). It still doesn't "wow" me but I'll give it a shot next trip.

Beaches and Cream - Ice cream as big as my head isn't my thing but tons of people have a great time here so I would go.

Flying Fish - This is back in the rotation for this trip and looking forward to it. The Fish is always a winner. I love the leeks and the banana neapolian. Anything seafood is awesome!

Kouzzina - Haven't tried it.

California Grill - found the sushi mediocre and the food over rated. But would go again because I wasn't feeling too good when I was there. Trying to tell them how to make me a bicarb was a chore.

The Wave - haven't been

Citricos - not as good since Chef Grey left but still a great place to eat especially if you can't spring for V&A. The shrimp & feta appetizer is still one of Grey's, their meat and fish are both good and grea service. Quieter than a lot of places.

Narcoossee's - LOVED this! Excellent food all the way around.

'Ohana - I did the character breakfast and had a blast. The pineapple bread is so addicting I have dreams about it.

Turf Club - never been

Artist Point - I love this place as well as The Lodge. The mushroom soup is to DIE FOR! I've never had a bad meal here though I wish they would have more wild game on the menu. If it's on, I recommend the ostrich, the venison or the elk.

Whispering Canyon Cafe - very loud. I went once for lunch in the middle of the afternoon so it was quiet and mellow. The food is good but HUGE and there is a TON of it. If you want an interactive experience with lots of noise and tons of good food - this is your place. Did I mention they have free refills on milkshakes until you explode?

Captain's Grille - haven't been

Fulton's Crab House - This is spotty. Very pricey. I've had rude serviers, good serviers, mediocre food, good food, rude customers, quiet customers, it just runs the gambit. To me it's a bit pricey when it's a crap shoot on the dining/food experience.

Pollo Campero - haven't gone

Paradiso 37 (not sure if this is included in the dining plan) - haven't gone

Portobello - Had a decent meal here a few years back. No standouts on either the plus or minus side.

Wolfgang Puck "The Dining Room" - nice, solid dining experience. If I had to eat at DTD, this is the place I would pick.

 

[Ash8716]

Brown Derby: my favorite, they have great filet and its a great atmosphere

Paradiscio: not sure if on dining plan but awesome place to go for a bite to eat and a drink, there margaritas are amazing!

Via Napoli: My new favorite place in EPCOT, really good pizza and nice atmosphere, it's a great place for a laid back, good dinner, we haven't had anything we didn't love there!

Tony's Town Square: I would skip, wasn't thrilled with menu and nobody was really liked their meals

Casey's Corner: Ok for a quick bite or snack but it is usually pretty crowded especially around parade time so plan accordingly

Captains Grill: Good food, nothing special though

Hope this helps

 

[Sea Creature Turner]

Thanks, all of you, for the wonderfully informative responses so far (and please do keep 'em coming)!

A quick update: Casey's and Tony's Town Square are both off the list, for the most part (and I'd indicate this by editing my OP if I knew how to produce strikethrough text on the DIS; and, yes, I know I could simply remove the aforementioned items, but then, what fun would that be?).

Again - THANKS to everyone who's taken the time to answer so far!