Blue Bayou or Cafe Orleans?

[princessmocha]

We have been debating which restaurant we want to try and would love to hear your opinions on these two. I really want to try the Pommes Frites and the Monte Cristo, but I also really would love to eat in the Blue Bayou atmosphere. I know I can get the Monte Cristo at BB, what about the Pommes Frites? I am so torn . . . We really only want to do 1 table services meal during our trip because we don't want to be tied into ADRs and there are so many good counter service options . . . Any insight or recommendations would be welcome!

 

[Jennafoo]

I tried both on my recent solo trip and much preferred Blue Bayou, both for atmosphere and food.

The atmosphere and service at Cafe Orleans aren't that special at all. I tried both the pommes frites and the monte cristo at CO, and while they were GOOD, they weren't something I'd go back for. Very heavy.

Blue Bayou on the other hand was amazing, and the food was delicious. I had the filet mignon and it was perfect; the blue bayou potatoes and green beans were delicious, and the chocolate mousse-like dessert I was given for my birthday was divine. The atmosphere was truly special and service was great.

Personally, I'd choose Blue Bayou for my one sit down meal, and maybe go to Cafe Orleans one afternoon for a break and the pommes frites as a snack.

 

[RustManFan]

here is the link to the menus for each on the DIS boards

http://www.wdwinfo.com/disneyland/dining-disneyland-park.htm#NewOrleans

 

[crystal1313]

I have never been disappointed by BB....but I've been reading some not so great reviews about CO lately. I would pick BB. Can't beat that atmosphere!

 

[Fantaluminishes]

Blue Bayou isn't a bad place. It just has a very limited menu. Here's the thing. To truly experience BB, you need to have a waterside table. Anything other table in the place, and you will be paying way too much for mediocre food in a very dark, cramped setting.

You already know Cafe Orleans has the Monte Cristo (two versions), for lunch and dinner. BB has one version (at a much higher price), and only serves it at lunch. An ADR at BB will get you a table. But you will have to wait an hour or longer for a waterside table. If you go to Cafe Orleans, you can sit outdoors and enjoy the view of the surrounding areas.

I recommend Cafe Orleans for lunch or dinner. If you want a special table service meal, with exceptional food, I highly recommend trying Carthay Circle at DCA.

 

[krispin41]

I disagree about waiting an hour for a waterside table. If you make your reservation for when they open, just let the CM know you would like a waterside table when you check-in (and do so early!), and you shouldn't have to wait that long.

Now if you have a later reservation, yes, you will have to wait. (And yes, I do believe you need a waterside table to really "get your money's worth.")

We've eaten at both places and have great service at both.

For my DHs first trip, BB was closed because Pirates was closed, so we opted for CO because I knew we wanted a Monte Cristo. It was our Anniversary and they brought us complimentary Mickey Beignets.

We should have split the Monte Cristo though, it is HUGE.

Blue Bayou isn't a bad place. It just has a very limited menu. Here's the thing. To truly experience BB, you need to have a waterside table. Anything other table in the place, and you will be paying way too much for mediocre food in a very dark, cramped setting.

You already know Cafe Orleans has the Monte Cristo (two versions), for lunch and dinner. BB has one version (at a much higher price), and only serves it at lunch. An ADR at BB will get you a table. But you will have to wait an hour or longer for a waterside table. If you go to Cafe Orleans, you can sit outdoors and enjoy the view of the surrounding areas.

I recommend Cafe Orleans for lunch or dinner. If you want a special table service meal, with exceptional food, I highly recommend trying Carthay Circle at DCA.

 

[awdsmama]

Blue Bayou! But, unless the menu has changed since March 2014, the MC is only on the lunch menu.

I made a reservation for the first lunch seating they offered. That way I knew we were sure to get a waterside table - it's a must for the full ambiance.

Since we would be eating at 11/1130 - earlier than normal for us, we just ate a bagel on the way to the park in the morning that way we didn't have a full breakfast AND full lunch.

 

[Rubygoose]

We have been debating which restaurant we want to try and would love to hear your opinions on these two. I really want to try the Pommes Frites and the Monte Cristo, but I also really would love to eat in the Blue Bayou atmosphere. I know I can get the Monte Cristo at BB, what about the Pommes Frites? I am so torn . . . We really only want to do 1 table services meal during our trip because we don't want to be tied into ADRs and there are so many good counter service options . . . Any insight or recommendations would be welcome!

We tried both, for the first time, one our trip in August. We enjoyed both of them, but I think if you're just doing one table service meal, you should go with BB. With Cafe Orleans, you'll have a nice meal in a nice restaurant, but BB is more of an experience that you can't get anywhere else.

 

[Pheran]

So I'm guessing that getting a waterside table on a reservation for next Friday (11/7) at 5:50 PM probably would involve a long wait?

 

[Jennafoo]

Blue Bayou isn't a bad place. It just has a very limited menu. Here's the thing. To truly experience BB, you need to have a waterside table. Anything other table in the place, and you will be paying way too much for mediocre food in a very dark, cramped setting.

You already know Cafe Orleans has the Monte Cristo (two versions), for lunch and dinner. BB has one version (at a much higher price), and only serves it at lunch. An ADR at BB will get you a table. But you will have to wait an hour or longer for a waterside table. If you go to Cafe Orleans, you can sit outdoors and enjoy the view of the surrounding areas.

I recommend Cafe Orleans for lunch or dinner. If you want a special table service meal, with exceptional food, I highly recommend trying Carthay Circle at DCA.

Not sure I agree with this at all.

My meal was in no way "mediocre food"; it was actually excellent. I was seated waterside, but it would have been fine if I hadn't. The food was as good or better than Cafe Orleans and the atmosphere - even outside the waterside - is way better.

Carthay Circle is an entirely different experience, and feels less "Disney". I actually had terrible service there, too, and the food wasn't as good as Blue Bayou.

 

[krispin41]

So I'm guessing that getting a waterside table on a reservation for next Friday (11/7) at 5:50 PM probably would involve a long wait?

Most likely, yes. And when you make a reservation, you cannot specify where you want your table, you do that when you check-in.

 

[cmpeter]

I ate at both two weeks ago and won't go back to CO. The food was so so, the service mediocre and the atmosphere was blah...we did sit inside. I had the fries and the salmon sandwich.

At BB we did the first lunch seating (11:30) and checked in early. We had a waterside table right away. Last year we had a 1:00 ish reservation and asked for waterside and had a 20 minute wait.

 

[princessmocha]

Thank you so much everyone for your insight. We are going to go with BB. I made a reservation for 11:30 for lunch and will request a waterside table. I can live without the Pommes Frites and who know when we will get back to Disneyland. It sounds like BB is more of an experience than Cafe Orleans, but if I can find a way to do it, I might have to see if I can get those Pommes Frites somehow. (DH said he could live without them! LOL)

Less than 2 months our from our trip and I can't wait!!!!

 

[princessmocha]

Blue Bayou isn't a bad place. It just has a very limited menu. Here's the thing. To truly experience BB, you need to have a waterside table. Anything other table in the place, and you will be paying way too much for mediocre food in a very dark, cramped setting.

You already know Cafe Orleans has the Monte Cristo (two versions), for lunch and dinner. BB has one version (at a much higher price), and only serves it at lunch. An ADR at BB will get you a table. But you will have to wait an hour or longer for a waterside table. If you go to Cafe Orleans, you can sit outdoors and enjoy the view of the surrounding areas.

I recommend Cafe Orleans for lunch or dinner. If you want a special table service meal, with exceptional food, I highly recommend trying Carthay Circle at DCA.

We went round and round about how many table services we wanted to do. This is such a short trip, that we decided to just do one. But if we were doing more Carthay Circle was on my radar! If we were going at a time that wasn't so busy, I would be planning my days around what food I want to eat! I am hoping that we will get to go back sooner, rather than later and we will definitely try it out. Thanks for your suggestion.

 

[Renae De Liz]

I would pick Blue Bayou and get the Monte Cristo at lunch with the waterside table. The Pommes Frites are good, but I would personally pick the atmosphere over the french fries.

 

[DizMe]

I LOVE BB. I think you made the right choice! I have never had a very good experience at CO.

I did want to clarify something about the MC. To say that it is a much higher price at BB isn't completely accurate, as it comes as an entire meal rather than the a la carte sandwich served at CO. But yes, it does cost more to get it as a meal.

We have almost always gotten a waterside table, regardless of the time of our reservation. The only time we did not was when we did a walk-up and we were happy to get in. Just show up early, check in and let them know you would like a waterside table. No one is allowed to request one through the reservation system so you have as much chance as anyone else of getting one, especially if you are there before your reservation time. It is easier to get a waterside table if your party is not very large. They will almost always warn you of a long wait, but we have rarely had to wait longer than 10 minutes. It has happened a couple of times, but that is only a small percentage of the times we've dined there. Did I mention getting there early?

 

[disneygrandma]

We will be a party of 6. Is that too many people to hope for waterside seating, even with an opening lunch ADR?

 

[princessmocha]

I would pick Blue Bayou and get the Monte Cristo at lunch with the waterside table. The Pommes Frites are good, but I would personally pick the atmosphere over the french fries.

That is what my hubby said too! We will just have to go back so I can get those fries!

 

[princessmocha]

I LOVE BB. I think you made the right choice! I have never had a very good experience at CO.

I did want to clarify something about the MC. To say that it is a much higher price at BB isn't completely accurate, as it comes as an entire meal rather than the a la carte sandwich served at CO. But yes, it does cost more to get it as a meal.

We have almost always gotten a waterside table, regardless of the time of our reservation. The only time we did not was when we did a walk-up and we were happy to get in. Just show up early, check in and let them know you would like a waterside table. No one is allowed to request one through the reservation system so you have as much chance as anyone else of getting one, especially if you are there before your reservation time. It is easier to get a waterside table if your party is not very large. They will almost always warn you of a long wait, but we have rarely had to wait longer than 10 minutes. It has happened a couple of times, but that is only a small percentage of the times we've dined there. Did I mention getting there early?

My plan is to get there early. We have a reservation for 11:30 when they open. We are a party of 5, so we should be ok for a waterside table, right? Getting so excited!

 

[allsaintsatx]

Definitely wait for the waterside table! We went last year, requested a waterside table at check-in and said we were willing to wait. The CM told us it would be a half hour wait and it actually only ended up being about 10 minutes.
It would even have been worth an hour wait for the view of the boats and the bayou! It made an already magical meal that much more magical!