Blue Bayou - lunch or dinner?

[kayleigh83]

I want to make reservations for my boyfriend's birthday for our trip, but I'm unsure of whether to make it for lunch or dinner! I'm not too worried about menu options, and from what I've heard lunch to dinner menus are fairly similar if not the same (correct me if I'm wrong?).

But what I am concerned with is which is typically busier! Keep in mind the reservation will be late July, but on a Tuesday. I would prefer to go at the less busy time so I have a better chance of not having to wait a million years if I request a waterside table when we show up for our reservations.

On that vein also, we will be just a twosome - are we likely to be accomodated for waterside seating? Should we arrive earlier than our reservation to make extra-sure we get it?

Thanks in advance for any tips!

 

[Argento]

If you hit lunch before noon, 11:30ish, you stand a decent chance of hitting waterside without wait.

 

[DisneytheKid]

For our first visit to Blue Bayou, we will go for dinner. This is mainly due to it being a special occasion and "worth" the price.

 

[SilentFeline]

According to the current AllEars menu, you can only get the monte cristo at lunch, and the filet mignon is only served for dinner. I don't know if this will effect your choice or not, but I just thought I should mention it. If you want a waterside table with no wait, it would be best to go at lunch. Make your reservation as close to when they open as possible. 11:15 should be fine.

 

[kayleigh83]

Thanks for the tips everyone! I think a lunchtime visit is in order... 11:30 sounds like a good time for lunch.

 

[Nintfamily]

For our first visit to Blue Bayou, we will go for dinner. This is mainly due to it being a special occasion and "worth" the price.

Ditto! We are going for our Anniversary dinner

 

[krispin41]

My Dh is picky...and I know he likes the Monte Cristo...so it was a lunch reservation for us.

Be warned though, portions are huge either way, we're splitting one this year (even with the split plate fee) and it will be enough for us.

 

[krispin41]

According to the current AllEars menu, you can only get the monte cristo at lunch, and the filet mignon is only served for dinner. I don't know if this will effect your choice or not, but I just thought I should mention it. If you want a waterside table with no wait, it would be best to go at lunch. Make your reservation as close to when they open as possible. 11:15 should be fine.

When I recently made reservations, 11:30 was the first available seating.

 

[Started With a Mouse]

I want to make reservations for my boyfriend's birthday for our trip, but I'm unsure of whether to make it for lunch or dinner! I'm not too worried about menu options, and from what I've heard lunch to dinner menus are fairly similar if not the same (correct me if I'm wrong?).

But what I am concerned with is which is typically busier! Keep in mind the reservation will be late July, but on a Tuesday. I would prefer to go at the less busy time so I have a better chance of not having to wait a million years if I request a waterside table when we show up for our reservations.

On that vein also, we will be just a twosome - are we likely to be accomodated for waterside seating? Should we arrive earlier than our reservation to make extra-sure we get it?

Thanks in advance for any tips!

Hands down I would do the lunch. The Monte Cristo is their signature dish, what the Blue Bayou is famous for, well in addition to their only place with a view of the POTC. The entrees are huge, you can split the dish, and you each get a gumbo or salad (highly recommend the gumbo). You can request a waterfront table on your reservation. Make sure to show up 15 minutes prior to your reservation to check in with the hostess desk. Remind them of your waterfront table (we are a party of two, and they will accommodate you). If you are celebrating something special, tell them when you make the original reservation, and again when you check in. Also, when you check in, make sure your section is served by a regular Blue Bayou CM. At busy times in the park, they have been known to 'borrow' a CM from another restaurant/food service place in the park, and the service is sub par. We experienced this once, and it was annoying, since the food is pretty good, but you are going for the ambiance and service.

 

[Started With a Mouse]

When I recently made reservations, 11:30 was the first available seating.

Same here, 11:30 is the first available reservation. And when they are leading you to a table, and there is a big post blocking your view, go to another table. They will be happy to let you do this. First come, best view.

 

[DisneytheKid]

Ditto! We are going for our Anniversary dinner

Same here. Have a great anniversary dinner and trip!

 

[Cinderpamela]

Thanks for the tips everyone! I think a lunchtime visit is in order... 11:30 sounds like a good time for lunch.

We always do lunch at 11:30... much better odds at a waterside table being that its the first seating... and we love to do the split plate Monte Christo's. Have fun!

 

[SilentFeline]

When I recently made reservations, 11:30 was the first available seating.

Same here, 11:30 is the first available reservation. And when they are leading you to a table, and there is a big post blocking your view, go to another table. They will be happy to let you do this. First come, best view.

Oops, my mistake! I went to BB back in 2009, and I thought they opened at 11. Memory lapse!

 

[taaren]

We like dinner, for several of the reasons listed above. If we want a Monte Cristo we can go to Cafe Orleans.

Dinner has the filet mignon, and more importantly the creme brulee.

 

[MommaMouseketeer]

Lunch starts at 11:30 and dinner at 4. In my two recent visits, I found them to have better service toward the end of lunch before the dinner seatings. When we got there at the opening of lunch, they were busy and we had a nearly non-existant waitress.

We did walk-up both times and were able to do waterside immediately at opening and had to wait about 30 minutes in the late afternoon. If you have a reservation for waterside, you should be fine.

 

[pixiewings71]

My Dh is picky...and I know he likes the Monte Cristo...so it was a lunch reservation for us.

Be warned though, portions are huge either way, we're splitting one this year (even with the split plate fee) and it will be enough for us.

If you don't want the extra sides save the $12 (or whatever it is now lol) and simply ask for an extra plate. DD and I may do this on her birthday trip, share a meal, but she won't eat the salad/soup and much of the veggies so we will order a meat dish (we both like the chicken) and I will eat the salad/soup and the majority of the sides while she will eat the majority of the meat. It works out well for us.

 

[kayleigh83]

Another question about this.... this is my boyfriend's birthday lunch, and I mentioned that in my email and have heard you should mention it as you're being seated too. What exactly do they do to recognize an adult's birthday at the Blue Bayou?

 

[SomeDude78]

Hands down I would do the lunch. The Monte Cristo is their signature dish, what the Blue Bayou is famous for, well in addition to their only place with a view of the POTC. The entrees are huge, you can split the dish, and you each get a gumbo or salad (highly recommend the gumbo).

+1 vote for Lunch if the Monte Cristo is on the to-do list. We ate at Blue Bayou our last visit and had dinner. I'm a huge fried food junkie and missed the Monte Cristo I'm a small guy and didn't think the portions were very big, but that probably depends on what you get (I had a fish dish). The gumbo appetizer was quite good.

 

[pixiewings71]

Another question about this.... this is my boyfriend's birthday lunch, and I mentioned that in my email and have heard you should mention it as you're being seated too. What exactly do they do to recognize an adult's birthday at the Blue Bayou?

They normally bring a free dessert, I'm not sure what, they seem to change it up and the last time we did a birthday there was in 2009.

 

[dopeyfanatic]

Don't feel like you HAVE to get the Monte Cristo there if there's something else you want. You definitely should get it, but you can get it at Cafe Orleans across from them, for cheaper too. Enjoy!