Best restaurant to dress up (not V & A)?

[lomillerin]

Dress code?

 

[BCV23]

Well, V&A doesn't have a set menu although it is a set price. There are three or four choices/course for the most part.

But most 8 year olds would get bored in a meal that lasts that long.

I would choose California Grill. You will see a mix of dress there as you do at all signature restaurants but I see more people dressed up a bit there than at other spots in general. Narcoossee's is another restaurant that sometimes has many dressed up if a convention is going on there. Other nights, it could be mostly resort dress.

It is one of those things that you sort of make your own magic. If your family dresses up and feels special, so will she IMO.

If you do choose CG, perhaps asking at the podium for a table without the butcher block paper will make it more elegant for her...unless she wants to color!

Have fun!

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

I am going to take my DD8 to a really nice restaurant where she can dress up for her bday.
I think I going to do the Norway breakfast that day and somewhere really nice for dinner.
She loves filet. She will want to dress up (not a costume) and have great service.
Which restaurants would dressing up be appropriate at?
I was thinking Cal. Grill because of the fireworks, but I am not sure how fancy it really is. I mean I think I read people can wear shorts there.
So, where will we find the most dressed up people besides Victoria and Alberts, which would fit the bill for fancy, but we are way too picky to have a set menu.

CG is not supposed to allow shorts & they even mention that when you make ressies now (or should I say again).....Anyway Yachtsman Steakhouse you seem to see people more "dressed" than other places in the world. Citricos the same thing.

 

[Clotho]

Well, "dress" shorts are allowed, actually. And they just started allowing tee shirts, too. Why have a dress code at all??

Men - Dress pants, jeans or dress shorts and a T-shirt or long sleeve shirt with collar is required. (Jackets optional.)

Women - Jeans, skirts or dress shorts and blouse, sweater or dress is required.

NOT PERMITTED: Tank tops, swim suits or swim cover ups, hats for gentlemen, cut offs or clothing with rips/tears are not allowed. T-shirts with offensive language/graphics will also not be permitted.

The Signature Restaurants are:

Artist Point, Bistro de Paris, California Grill, Citrico's, Citrico's Chef's Domaine, Flying Fish, Fulton's Crab House, Il Mulino, Jiko's, Narcoossee's, Portobello Yacht Club, Shula's, Todd English's bluezoo, Wolfgang Puck Dining Room and Yachtsmen Steakhouse.

To the OP, we are going to Narccoossee for our "nice" dinner out! We did Cali Grill and that was lovely, but wasn't a place we were dying to go back to. Then again, we are from the West Coast, and the cuisine was decidedly "so done" where we eat around here, and we wanted some more unique options.

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

Artist Point, Bistro de Paris, California Grill, Citrico's, Citrico's Chef's Domaine, Flying Fish, Fulton's Crab House, Il Mulino, Jiko's, Narcoossee's, Portobello Yacht Club, Shula's, Todd English's bluezoo, Wolfgang Puck Dining Room and Yachtsmen Steakhouse.


Some of the above are "signature" but far from it IMHO.
Blue Zoo had a dressier crowd......
PRC has bad service and food quality has really changed the last few years.

Narcossee's tends to be VERY casual and for the other poster about more choices Narcossees is very far from inventive or unique.
Flying Fish (unfortunately) is very casual now which stinks....as it AP.

 

[GolfCrazy]

Being you are looking for a slightly more dressed up crowd and a good filet, I think your choice is easy.....that is Shula's. It is not necessarily a kids joint but that is not what you are seeking anyway (it appears). I think dressing up there would not stand out as the atmosphere is more mature & formal than most of the restaurants at WDW.

And the steaks are top notch there too...so finding a good filet should be quite easy. She'll feel important when they bring the tray of steaks to your table explaining each cut. I think it will be just what you are looking for.

 

[Clotho]

Sorry if that was confusing. That was the reason we were not going back to Cali Grill, not why we are going to Narccoossee's. I chose Narccoossee's for the LOBSTER AND STEAK!

 

[lomillerin]

Thanks for the ideas.

 

[GolfCrazy]

I used to share my steak with her, but now I wouldn't get any if I did and she likes pink in the middle.

Sounds like a good kid. Now if your good parenting continues, that pink will turn to red. The last sound the cow should make is when you first cut into your steak when it is placed in front of you!

 

[Skylarr29]

This isn't a dinner but she might really enjoy having tea at the Garden View lounge inside the Grand Floridian resort. She can wear her fancy dress and you can have a tea party! Even order her the special Cinderella Slipper dessert as a surprise.


Oh and we LOVE Artist Point. We dressed up last time we were there and had an amazing experience. So much so it is the first place we will be eating on our next trip. I don't think there are very many 'fancy' places at Disney. It is very hard to enforce the dress code.

 

[jiminy14]

Yachtsman Steakhouse especially if your DD likes filet. We were at the Cali Grill in May and the dress code enforcement was vey lax. We saw quite a few people in "park" clothes, t-shirts and shorts. I also think the Cali Grill is on the noisy side and unfortunately we hit a night where there were several overtired children dining there. I felt sorry for our waiter because he had a table where there were 5-6 young children who were miserable throughout the entire meal.

 

[Uncleromulus]

BCV23 is right--the dressing up will be something special for your daughter. No matter which restaurant you choose, you will find folks in shorts and t-shirts.
Over the years, I've found Citrico's (of the Disney restaurants) to be the most dressy--but again, don't be suprised to find shorts and t's there. Of the non-Disney spots, probably Blue Zoo or Shulas.

 

[laurabelle]

I'd vote for CA Grill! We started going there last year and now it's our absolute must do restaurant in WDW. The atmosphere and views are wonderful... enough to keep a well behaved child happy. I'm generally not a red meat eater, but the filet there is wonderful! My prince and princesses (ages 11 & 13) and I will be dressing up (summer dresses for us girls, w/ heels (!) and dress shorts, collared shirt for hubby) to dine there for our anniversary this Sun.
I think it would be a magical place to celebrate her birthday!

 

[Ron from Michigan]

We always enjoy dressing up for dinner at CG & Jiko.

 

[BCV23]

lomillerin, when I mentioned Narcoossee's, I was referring to the way people dress not the restaurant itself. It is one of the restaurants where on some nights we've seen a number of people in jackets/little black dresses. Although we've not seen that at YSH, I bet that happens there too during some conventions. I forgot Blue Zoo. It too gets convention types as does Citricos.

But as Uncleromulus said, you will see folks in park dress at all WDW restaurants.
Well, not V&A.

 

[lomillerin]

I am leaning towards Cal. Grill.
.