Best Walk-up Dinning Rankings

Frizzle

Earning My Ears
Joined
May 4, 2021
Messages
7
Good morning all. We are very excited about our very last minute trip to Disneyland. Because we booked this week reserved sit down dining is not a real option. I am not going to lie, I am kinda excited about not having sitdown reservations and being able to taste your recommendations. I would love to hear your musts for walk-up dining however you feel fit to rank them (breakfast, lunch, or dinner in both parks). I'll try and post our family's reviews as we navigate this weekend with your Disney foodie suggestions. Thank you!

For us, the UVA bar is a must. Not necessarily because of the food, we enjoy the people watching.
 
OP, did you mean table service restaurants you can walk up and be seated at or quick service?
 

Hi, just commenting to follow. We have a short trip planned for next month and we don’t really want to do table reservations. Thanks
 
Some of my family's favorite CS locations are:
  • Jolly Holiday - we like the Jolly Holiday Combo (grilled cheese and tomato basil soup) and the desserts. Good people watching options if you sit near the edge of the patio.
  • French Market - favorites include the Jambalaya and roast chicken, and the beignets (over at the Mint Julep Bar). Some people watching options (tables on the edge of the patio on the New Orleans side).
  • Docking Bay Seven & Ronto Roasters - two different locations but you can take your food from one to the other. There are some great people watching tables along the walkway and over by Ronto Roasters. We like the pot roast and the wraps (breakfast especially).
  • Pym's Test Kitchen - Seating over by Hyperion doesn't offer the most interesting people watching, but the food was pretty good. We liked the Pym-ini Sandwich and the Impossible™ Spoonful (although the portion was on the smaller side).
 
Haven’t had anything else at the Mexican place at the wharf but the Birria tacos are a must have at DCA.
Honorable mention quick service at DCA:
Monte Cristo sandwiches at Smoke Jumpers
Bread bowl at Pacific Wharf


Quick service places at Disneyland:
Stage Door is our go to for Corn Dogs (comes with fries instead of chips here) and can’t go wrong with some funnel cake for dessert.
Again, the Mexican place in Frontierland is also great, but we don’t go there that much because if we want tacos we are getting the ones in DCA.
Can’t go wrong with Plaza Inn fried chicken. Always hits the spot, especially when you dine inside. You really feel Walt in the design in there.

Downtown Disney quick service:
Black Tap is a must for their over the top milkshakes (I’m partial to the blackout and the chocolate chip cookie ones) their actual food is also really good.
Napolini has great quick service pizza. Basically personal pizza versions of Naples next door.
Ballast Point has the best burger on property* * I haven’t had Uva’s

None of the above recommendations are for breakfast because we are usually never there in the morning and when we are we just grab a churro and call it breakfast.
 
Agree with the Quesa Birria Tacos at Cocina Cucamonga at DCA.

Here's my list of counter service favorites:

At Disneyland:

Plaza Inn Fried Chicken

Bengal BBQ Rice Plate with Chicken and Bengal Beef and a Safari Skewer on the side

Ronto Wrap

Docking Bay 7 Pot Roast

At DCA:

Flo's Fried Chicken

Studio Catering Co Nachos

Pym's Chicken Sandwich

Pacific Wharf Cafe -soup in bread bowl and seasonal bread pudding is always a winner

At Downtown Disney, Napolini, Taqueria at Tortilla Joe's, and Earl of Sandwich are the best counter service options.

GCH Craftsman Grill is awesome as well, inside Grand Californian hotel. Try the nachos.
 
My favorite on property spot for breakfast, lunch and dinner is the Craftsman at the Grand. It's convenient to go to if you are in DCA.

As far as eating in the parks, usually I don't desire anything, but kind of narrow down my choices. Meaning, nothing is so good that I can't wait to go get it, but I get hungry and then I find that I prefer Rancho del Zocalo in DL and Paradise Garden Grill in DCA. If I am with one of my adult kids, they usually "need" a corndog from Little Red Wagon. So, if they get that, I'll get something from Jolly Holiday or Plaza Inn because they are close to Little Red Wagon.
 
*only listing walk ups - not places that do ADR*

Docking Bay 7 - fav place for quick service lunch in DL
Ronto's Roasters for breakfast
Tropical Hideaway - shockingly good
Rancho del Zocalo
Pym's Test Kitchen
Schwarma Cart (the falafal schwarma is *so good*)
Bar above Lamplight Lounge

Black Tap in DTD
Craftsman Grill (if you are staying at the GCH same menu for the pool - the poke bowl is a favorite)
Hearthstone Lounge for end of the day in GCH
 
*only listing walk ups - not places that do ADR*

Docking Bay 7 - fav place for quick service lunch in DL
Ronto's Roasters for breakfast
Tropical Hideaway - shockingly good
Rancho del Zocalo
Pym's Test Kitchen
Schwarma Cart (the falafal schwarma is *so good*)
Bar above Lamplight Lounge

Black Tap in DTD
Craftsman Grill (if you are staying at the GCH same menu for the pool - the poke bowl is a favorite)
Hearthstone Lounge for end of the day in GCH
Thank you. My wife loves falafels so we will have to try Schwarma Cart (the falafel schwarma)
 


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