Can Anyone Tell Me A Little About Cali Grill?

[liamsaunt]

California Grill is our traditional "last night" meal at Disney. It really is a great experience.

 

[Karnak]

I have enjoyed meals at the California Grill in the past, however since I've read on these boards that one can no longer sit in the lounge up there and enjoy a drink before or after a meal, I have quit making reservations for this otherwise excellent restaurant. I used to enjoy sitting up there for a while in the evenings looking down over the Magic Kingdom, and then having a great meal, but things change at Disney, not always for the better.

Karnak

 

[thesupersmartguy]

Bump!

 

[catne]

o.k., I have to be the lone wolf here...no, I don't think it was worth the cost (2 TS credits on the dining plan.) Thought the filet good, but was not a good as the Le Cellier filet (which was only one TS credit!) One in our party got whatever the fresh fish special of the day was...said it was o.k., but not the best he'd ever tasted, by far.

The view...well they had the blinds closed!!! When we asked about where was the wonderful "view" from our window-side table, we were told they would raise the blinds once the sun went down. What's the point of that! Here we're paying for the view and they have the blinds closed. About 1/2 way through meal, they did raise blinds about 6 inches so if you scrunched down in your chair you had a glimpse of that great view. Big whoop.

I will give them major kudos for the desserts...we especially enjoyed the year of a million dreams crunch cake and the caramel/banana thingy (sorry, don't remember the name of that one.) Those were the best desserts we had at WDW.

 

[MommyGina]

I loved my dinner here. We ate there for the first time last week. Too bad we never ate there before! My children loved it. So did my 81 year old mother.

We had by far the best service at the Cali Grill. Ask for Walter to be your server. He made suggestion and they were right on the mark.

Have a great time!! Go back to see the fireworks from there too. If you have early ADR, they will let you back up later.

 

[thesupersmartguy]

Bump, Keep the reviews coming everyone!

 

[llqool]

we loved it and are going back for our anniversary in December. My husband (who has NEVER eaten it before!) tried the sushi there and loved it. i loved the flatbread, fish dish (can't remember what it was exactly -- something asian), and dessert.

I actually thought there were *more* kids in there than in some other signature restaurants. It didn't take away from the ambiance, but it was our "date night" there and we kind of wished we had brought our kids to that meal rather than Artist's Point, which was significantly less child-friendly.

 

[DeniseY]

Go, go, go to California Grill! It is my all time favorite at WDW. Fabulous food (the pork tenderloin is beyond incredible and I am not a huge fan of pork but this I love!) and the atmosphere can't be beat. They do a nice job of timing your meal with Wishes and I just love going outside to hear the music with the fireworks. We try to do this at the beginning of our trip to set the mood! If on the dining plan and you have kids who are considered adults on the dining plan and they will eat a nice steak from the children's menu, then use their TS credits and pay out of pocket for their meals.....we have 2 children and we do this and only use 4 TS credits vs 8. The kids love their steak and the rice crispy "sushi" dessert and all are happy. One more time....go, go, go to California Grill!

 

[thesupersmartguy]

Bump.

 

[marybeth200]

I was thinking of doing CG as my big birthday dinner, after reading these reviews I'm sure I want to do it! Any idea what time I should make ADR so that I could see the 8pm WIshes that night?

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

I was thinking of doing CG as my big birthday dinner, after reading these reviews I'm sure I want to do it! Any idea what time I should make ADR so that I could see the 8pm WIshes that night?

If Wishes is at 8pm, I'd shoot for an ADR for 7pm. Any later and you run the risk of having to wait for a table and when it gets close to Wishes, people tend to linger at their table even when they are done.

 

[myladyisatramp]

I am so glad to hear such rave reviews. We are going to CG on our last night at Disney and I have a 6;00 ADR and I believe wishes is at 6 also that night. Hopefully this is a good time to catch wishes and have a lovely dinner. Do you think I should do dinner at 5;30 if possible.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

o.k., I have to be the lone wolf here...no, I don't think it was worth the cost (2 TS credits on the dining plan.) Thought the filet good, but was not a good as the Le Cellier filet (which was only one TS credit!) One in our party got whatever the fresh fish special of the day was...said it was o.k., but not the best he'd ever tasted, by far.

.

This was our take too - more or less. It was certainly not twice as good as a number of the TS places we ate the rest of that trip! It was not as good as Flying Fish, IMO.

I really enjoy sushi, and the sushi was good. It certainly wan't BAD sushi. But I wouldn't say it's worth the price they *NOW* charge for it.

We also had a rather rude server. Not overtly rude, but a more subtle kind of rudeness. Our food was clearly served after those around us, despite the fact that we had sat before they had. Maybe that tainted my perception; he was annoying. We had to ask for several things which should have been automatic in a place of that caliber - like dessert spoons.

One of the desserts, I don't recall what it was - was pretty good. The other was just okay.

Several years ago, we walked up there and were able to get a seat at the bar with no ADR. That was nice. We had a drink, we had a little sushi (not too many places at WDW to get a fix!) We didn't have fantastic service, as I recall, but it was worth the trip. Last year, not so much.

 

[Cinderella&Dopey]

I Love CA...the food it great and you can't be the view....we booked it for late in the night and got to watch the P&PP fireworks last year! Plus Dopey proposed to me...so I guess I'm kind of bias!!

 

[thesupersmartguy]

Bump.

 

[TPCShauna]

I have enjoyed meals at the California Grill in the past, however since I've read on these boards that one can no longer sit in the lounge up there and enjoy a drink before or after a meal, I have quit making reservations for this otherwise excellent restaurant. I used to enjoy sitting up there for a while in the evenings looking down over the Magic Kingdom, and then having a great meal, but things change at Disney, not always for the better.

Karnak

I was specifically told that we would be able to go up before our meal for a drink in the lounge. Are you saying that is no longer the case? When did that change?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We live in California. Our neighborhood restaurant serves the same type of food they serve at the Cali Grill. We've never booked there because we can get it the food at home. We are planning it this time since we are doing the DxDP. I'm hoping the food there is as good as what I get down the street from my house. I already know the wine list can't even remotely compete.

 

[thesupersmartguy]

Bump.

 

[sotoalf]

I was specifically told that we would be able to go up before our meal for a drink in the lounge. Are you saying that is no longer the case? When did that change?

If the bar is too crowded, you may be asked to wait on the second floor.

 

[TPCShauna]

If the bar is too crowded, you may be asked to wait on the second floor.

I called after seeing your post yesterday and was told that I would be allowed up since I have an ADR. They said I should ask to speak to a manager if there is any problem.

 

[Karnak]

I called after seeing your post yesterday and was told that I would be allowed up since I have an ADR. They said I should ask to speak to a manager if there is any problem.

As I stated in my orginal post, I'm going by what others have said in the past on these posts. Enough posts have mentioned that one cannot sit up there at the lounge that I've quit making ADRs for that particular restaurant. (In other words, I believe them.)

I can remember one post that said that the tables and chairs that used to be in the lounge have been removed, or moved in such a way as to make enjoyment of the lounge not what it used to be.

Many of the posters thought that the changes regarding the lounge was because some people were taking their children up there to see the view (or at times the fireworks) having no intention of visiting the California Grill, and with no ADR for same.

Enough about this problem was posted to cause me to cross that otherwise excellent restaurant off my list, since, as I enjoyed the view up there, and having a drink before or after my meal.

Karnak