Bengal BBQ no longer living up to hype?

[Brancaneve]

I have seen the portions get smaller and smaller over the years.

 

[dsnyfamily4]

Sounds like it’s a hit or miss with the beef. I really enjoy the chicken myself and yeah, for the price it might leave you wanting more. But hey, it’s Disneyland.
I love corn dogs and all the other yummy things in the park but I really like having the healthier options Bengal BBQ provides.

 

[Caren]

I’m not a Disneyland regular, so I don’t know how Bengal BBQ was in the past, but was rather unimpressed yesterday. Not so much about the food—the pork belly was some of the best I’ve had anywhere—but at their general level of chaos and inability to get food out in a timely manner. I stood there for over half an hour waiting for a mobile order, so got a chance to watch. There were a lot of people working and a lot of scurrying, but somehow the food was really slow coming out and no one behind the counter ever seemed to have a tray to put large orders on. I was really disturbed that they were taking the little yellow slips that tell them what’s in an order and placing them directly on the order, like in the sauce. I think this is a clear health code violation.

 

[DLgal]

They definitely still grill the skewers right there. They are not just heating them up.

I've been eating here regularly since 2001. The only major changes have been the portion sizes and the fact that you no longer get a grilled green onion with each meat skewer. The beef has ALWAYS been hit or miss. It's a complete gamble what you will get. Sometimes it is inedible, tough, gristly, overcooked, etc. That's the nature of that cut of meat (it's sirloin).

The asparagus is similarly hit or miss, depending on the time of year. Sometimes you get a thick, hefty stalk. Other times, it is pathetically thin and small.

The skewers used to be about 4oz servings. They are now maybe 2oz, at most.

 

[BlueRibbon]

Bengal BBQ has always drawn people in with the smell and look of the skewers. I've tried them every 5 years for the past 25 years and always feel like I paid to much for what I got.

In my case, the chicken is always overcooked, and the meat is generally tough.

 

[carouselDL]

I really love the pork belly skewers, and I think they're reasonably priced, given that pork belly is usually pretty expensive even outside Disney! Can definitely see that the other meats aren't a great value, though

 

[DLgal]

I really love the pork belly skewers, and I think they're reasonably priced, given that pork belly is usually pretty expensive even outside Disney! Can definitely see that the other meats aren't a great value, though

These tend to have larger chunks of meat, but at least half is inedible slab fat. I can't eat that part. I pick the meat off and the other half is thrown away. I love the sauce and the picked veggies on this one! It used to include a lettuce cup. Sad that went away.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

These tend to have larger chunks of meat, but at least half is inedible slab fat. I can't eat that part. I pick the meat off and the other half is thrown away. I love the sauce and the picked veggies on this one! It used to include a lettuce cup. Sad that went away.

Goodness how much could a lettuce cup have set them back?

I still wish the “meal deal” here had more rice/salad. If it did, it would be an excellent meal option but as it is it’s not really enough food for the price. I mean really, rice is about as cheap as it gets. They could easily double that portion.

 

[Sydnerella]

First time visitors in August 2019
Unimpressed
Very slow service - 20min+
Meh food
Poor value

We had Soooo many better food experiences at DL and felt this place must have lost whatever mojo it had because the food and service were not on par with the money other recommendations we received.

The asparagus and chicken were so chewy. The beef was ok but not great. Think we should have got the pork belly based on comments here. The tiger tail breadsticks were bland compared to the similar yummy pretzel twists at the cozy cone motel in DCA.

Smokejumpers and Bengal BBQ were our only bad food experiences.

 

[bwvBound]

We visited in July and again this past weekend (Oct). Happy both times except for the crazy wait time this weekend when using Mobile Ordering. It would have been better to use the queue for ordering.

We split the rice plate (two skewers, rice, slaw) and add one veggie skewer to share. FWIW, the veggie skewer is huge compared to the meat skewers. For us, this is sufficient to share ... and leaves room for a Dole Whip or Starbucks Frap later in the day.

 

[brentm77]

I watched the Dis Unplugged review of Bengal BBQ they posted two weeks ago and it was totally how I felt the last time few times I was at BB.

For years I absolutely loved the food there but over the last 1-2 years I've found the beef to be very chewy and the chicken to be uninspiring. The price is what really gets me now. It used to be expensive but fresh and delicious but now it's expensive and kinda yuck.

How have your experiences been? Has your opinion changed?

I agree. I ordered a few sewers recently, and they were not very good. They didn't have a nice grilled taste. Instead, they tasted like they had been oven baked and dipped in sauce. One actually tasted like propane or some other chemical. I won't be eating there again.

 

[manicstreet]

I went in March and it was my favorite of all the quick services. This doesn’t include the corn dog cart which is the greatest in all the parks.

I think everyone needs to manage their expectations. It is mass produced food. It’s great for what it is but if you compare it to a good Brazilian steak house it’s probably not gonna measure up.

 

[manicstreet]

I agree. I ordered a few sewers recently, and they were not very good. They didn't have a nice grilled taste. Instead, they tasted like they had been oven baked and dipped in sauce. One actually tasted like propane or some other chemical. I won't be eating there again.

I am curious what propane tastes like. My whole house runs on propane and I have a propane grill. I couldn’t tell you what propane tastes like. I know what it smells like but that’s it. Please enlighten me?

 

[cmputerdazed]

I had the bacon asparagus and a beef a couple weeks ago. Most of the beef was too tough. But the asparagus was yummy.

 

[brentm77]

I am curious what propane tastes like. My whole house runs on propane and I have a propane grill. I couldn’t tell you what propane tastes like. I know what it smells like but that’s it. Please enlighten me?

It tasted like propane smells. I didn't say it was propane, just that it tasted like it. I bq on a propane grill and it tastes great. It was a strong chemical taste. Maybe more like lighter fluid. I don't know how else to describe it. It was in the pork belly scewer. I ended up throwing it away.

 

[Joeboo25]

These tend to have larger chunks of meat, but at least half is inedible slab fat. I can't eat that part. I pick the meat off and the other half is thrown away. I love the sauce and the picked veggies on this one! It used to include a lettuce cup. Sad that went away.

You know, that's kind of the point of pork belly. The "fat slab" is exactly why pork belly is popular. Otherwise it's just called roasted pork.

 

[Jaybles]

The trick is to only eat the pork belly now

 

[theluckyrabbit]

I had the bacon asparagus... the asparagus was yummy.

We love the Safari Skewers! And Mobile Ordering makes getting them quick and easy! The last time we had them (about 3 weeks ago), we mobile ordered from the queue at HM, got off the ride, and walked right up to the window to pick up our order. Yum! Safari Skewers with extra lemon slices.

 

[DLgal]

You know, that's kind of the point of pork belly. The "fat slab" is exactly why pork belly is popular. Otherwise it's just called roasted pork.

Nah. Pork belly meat is very different from roasted pork. It is way more flavorful and gets delightfully crispy. My favorite pork things are the Ronto Wrap and the piggy wings at Lamplight Lounge, but the pork belly skewers at Bengal are so unique that I can't pass them up. I cant eat large chunks of fat like that, though. I don't understand how people do that. It's so rubbery...how do you chew it? Regardless, there is enough meat on them to make it a decent snack.

 

[GeneralTso]

We ate there a few weeks ago and it was as good as ever. No complaints.
There will always be complaints about every single eating establishment on property.

If you like that type of food, try it. It's a few skewers. If you hate it, don't return. You might really enjoy it though.