California Grill

[Korileigh]

Tell me about California Grill - really worth 2 dining credits? Can yous see Wishes from anywhere in the restaurant?

Thanks so much!
Kori

 

[Art 1]

We like it. Don't know about the credits as we don't use them but the food is good, waiters are top notch.

 

[bebelle]

One of our favorite restaurants. You can see Wishes from inside. They dim the lights and pipe in the music. But it is best viewed from the observation deck just outside the restaurant. Love the food, the service and the atmosphere.

 

[Jiminy_78]

We've always enjoyed our meals at the California Grill, we have eaten there twice where we used the dining plan and once where we paid out of pocket. The best way to determine if it is a good value for you is to review the menus posted, while the menu does change throughout the year, you can get a good idea on how much you would spend and it if it is worth the two credits for you.

As far as Wishes goes, you can't see it from every table within the dining area, but they do have a great observation deck where you can go outside and watch the fireworks. They pipe the music into both the restaurant and outside so you will be able to hear Wishes while you watch it. Our last two meals here we have lucked out and had a table right next to the window and we were able to watch from our seat. You can request a window table, but they aren't always able to accommodate this request as some people will come in to eat and then just stay as long as they can and hold the table.

While we have never used this feature, I do recall hearing that even if you eat dinner earlier in the evening, you can get a pass that would allow you to come back upstairs to view the fireworks from the observation deck outside the restaurant later that same day.

On our most recent trip, we ate here and considered it to be one of the best (if not the best) meals of our trip. The food was excellent and we found it to be worth the two credits, we were on the DxDP which included appetizer and dessert. Hope that helps!

 

[ToddyLu]

We have eaten at Cali Grill every year since first going in 2002. This Dec will be our 10th visit to the restaurant. The food is delicious and the service awesome. The filet of Beef is fantasitc as are the flat breads. BIL also says the sushi is very good. I always get a couple of glasses of the House white wine....and last year MIL ( who doesn't drink at all) let her hair down and had a glass. Loved it and looking so forward to it this year.

Yep all you have to do is bring your receipt back and they will let you back in to view Wishes.

 

[ToddyLu]

Oh and yes it is well worth the 2 credits.

 

[catne]

note of dissent...no, we did not think it was worth two table service credits. We found it to be good food, but certainly not worth double the other Disney restaurants. We had food that was just as good at The Wave downstairs (one ts meal downstairs.) It took nearly 2 hours to eat there -- for just the entree & dessert (no appetizer course) I understand "pacing" in a restaurant, but this was very artificial pacing...we had a lot of sitting around & waiting time between everything. It wasn't that the waiter disappeared or anything, it's just that every request & every stage took at least ten minutes...

The view from the deck up there is wonderful, but not worth paying 2 TS (or cash) for the Cali Grill...we just were not that impressed. And the place is slam-packed all the time. Way too noisy.

 

[arissavolk]

I'm glad to hear all the good word about the food and the ability to watch on the observation deck- I just reserved for 7:35 in hopes we just might catch wishes

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

While we have never used this feature, I do recall hearing that even if you eat dinner earlier in the evening, you can get a pass that would allow you to come back upstairs to view the fireworks from the observation deck outside the restaurant later that same day.

Actually what you would do is return to their 2nd floor check-in with your reciept from that evening, show it to a Cast Member and they will let you back up their special elevator for Wishes.

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

You've gotten some great info, I just wanted to add my voice to the mix. Yes, it is worth it. It is my favorite WDW restaurant. I prefer to eat after the fireworks because there are less unruly children/adults lol.

 

[Sue M]

note of dissent...no, we did not think it was worth two table service credits. We found it to be good food, but certainly not worth double the other Disney restaurants. We had food that was just as good at The Wave downstairs (one ts meal downstairs.) It took nearly 2 hours to eat there -- for just the entree & dessert (no appetizer course) I understand "pacing" in a restaurant, but this was very artificial pacing...we had a lot of sitting around & waiting time between everything. It wasn't that the waiter disappeared or anything, it's just that every request & every stage took at least ten minutes...

The view from the deck up there is wonderful, but not worth paying 2 TS (or cash) for the Cali Grill...we just were not that impressed. And the place is slam-packed all the time. Way too noisy.

I have to agree. While the food was good, I don't think it was worth 2 TS. I too have had dinners just as good at The Wave, and GF Cafe- the steaks there were wonderful.
We did get a window table, which was nice for viewing Wishes. But you can view Wishes from Narccoossee's too (and they also pipe in the music) and our meal there, IMO was better, and worth the 2TS- Steak and lob

 

[tinacaplan]

When I saw this, I knew I had to put in my "two cents." Let me say to start off that you should check out the menu. The food is not standard, meat and potatoes, by any standard. It is, however, delicious and more than worth the 2 TS credits we used. It was by far the best meal of our trip and the only place, signature or otherwise, that I will gladly save up to pay OOP for on our next trip.

As for Wishes...well...we were there celebrating our anniversary on Valentine's Day during Wishes. When we were seated, I cried, because our table was directly in front of the floor to ceiling plate glass windows through which you have a bird's eye view of the castle and Wishes! AMAZING!

As for the pacing, I think that given the type of food you are eating and the expense, one should have some time to enjoy a drink and digest between courses and I was glad it took as long as it did. We were in and out of Citrico's and Flying Fish in under an hour and a half and that made the meal seem a lot less special, IMO.

Check out my dining review for some pictures!

 

[SaraJayne]

We ate there on our last trip and I did not care for it. The restaurant was loud, and the tables were very close together.

The view of Wishes wasn't that great and from that angle, looked "off". I much prefer to watch Wishes from the MK, where you can actually hear the music.

For us, it was not worth the 2 TS credits. The food was ok, but not worth double the price of other restaurants. I don't plan on going back again.

 

[Tara]

I love CA Grill- it's a tradition for us to the point that a trip isn't complete without it! That said, I don't think it's worth 2 credits- I don't think any of the signatures are. The restrictions (no appetizer), the changes (tip no longer included) and the overall price of the plan makes 2 credits a bad deal IMO, or at least less of a value than the 1 credit meals. I wouldn't spend credits that way, and when I did the plan (apps and tip were included), we usually split the check using credits for 1 and cash for the other to balance the value a little more.

Don't get me wrong though- I still think it's well worth a visit, and if your vacation dollars are tied up in the plan, it's not the end of the world to spend credits this way, especially if you keep the mindset that the plan is just meal prepayment, not a savings tool.

 

[100acrewoodsfan]

It is our favorite restaurant at Disney. We make sure we go ever visit and on long trips we try to go twice. I feel it is well worth the two credits and would happily pay oop for it if needed. You might want to ask to sit in the wine room. It's a little room with about 4 or 5 tables in the back where it is much quieter. You can enjoy a relaxed meal back there and then when it is time for wishes watch from the deck. We sat back there two times ago and could see the electrical water parade from our table. We have always had great timing with the courses. We usually order our drinks and meals first. Then take our drinks out to the deck. Our waiters have always had our food arrive at our table a few seconds before we get back from watching Wishes.

 

[ML_LovesDisney]

I'm glad I TRIED it, it was very good food, but nothing spectacular where I was like "WOW I LOVE IT HERE", I would go again, but not every trip. We had to go out on balconies to see Wishes, you could not see it from anywhere.

 

[marie1203]

We love it! We go back every trip and every trip we always get a window seat during wishes. The food is totally worth the 2 credits.

 

[Tara]

We had to go out on balconies to see Wishes, you could not see it from anywhere.

I don't get this - there are lots of tables along the windows and close to the windows from which Wishes is clearly visible. It's a big restaurant, though, and Wishes is not visible from many tables.

 

[JoShan1719]

Eh, DH and I were not impressed at all. I had sushi. The portion was smaller than what I would get at an off property sushi place and it was double the price. Plus they watered down the soy sauce? I had to let my pieces sit in the soy bowl to soak up any flavor. We both left hungry and went to the McDonalds off property to get more food. It was kind of neat that they piped in the music from Wishes, but we couldn't really hear it with all the noise. We would not go there again.

 

[OhThePain]

The food is alright. Its nice. It is NOT worth 2 TS credits. In my opinion, with the exception of maybe HDDR, nothing is worth 2 credits. The thought of not getting a full meal for my 2 credits does not sit will with me. When we go out and eat at nice places, we enjoy full meals (app, entree, dessert, wine and or cocktails). The DDP does not include the app and wine. Therefor, we still would have to pay out of pocket for half the meal.

However, if you wanted to take a night and splurge on a nice meal and pay OOP, then it is worth it.