Can you share a place you couldnt wait to eat but was a huge letdown

[gorjus121]

Ohana. It was such a let down. Food was good, but it was the fast pace the food was coming out. We felt rushed, food was getting cold. I would consider trying it again one day but I would make sure I mentioned that I wouldn't want all items to come out at once like last time.

 

[Hettie]

It's more of an event than a place, but the F&W French Family Traditions lunch I attended in October was a bust for me. The wine was good but the food was pretty bad and I was eagerly anticipating delicious food. For details, see my most recent dining report.

 

[VACamm]

Cinderella's Royal Table was a huge let down for our family. I had waited to eat there my entire life, and could never get an ADR as it was always booked up. We finally got one in 2017, and our family of 4 thought it was not worth the price, and that there were many other WDW restaurants that we would rather eat at!

 

[KTR]

So many people have mentioned BOG dinner. It’s funny to me because that was our favorite experience. This was their old dinner menu. We were seated in the portrait room (not sure what it was called) and I think that was a good thing. It was quieter and not hectic. The service was excellent and so was our food. My entire family will tell you that was our favorite meal.

Two days later we went back for lunch and that was or least favorite meal. It felt chaotic and hurried and we were in then West Wing which just felt loud and dark.

This upcoming trip we plan to try breakfast.

 

[chelynnah]

For us it was probably Yak & Yeti in 2015. DH really wanted that reservation for his birthday and I managed to get it. We showed up on time and honestly it was 90 minutes before we got in. I actually fell asleep (was in a wheelchair at the time) waiting. They kept telling DH ‘10 more minutes’ and he had wanted to eat there so badly that he kept believing them that it would be.

I had said in advance on the reservation that it was his birthday celebration. That was never once acknowledged. The service was just ok, but the server was overworked and disinterested. Once our food arrived we never saw him again and finally were able to flag him down after we were well finished eating.

The food was great. DH had the Ahi Nachos and it’s still the meal he goes in about over 3 years later. Mine was good. But I was already jaded by the 90 minute wait, so I really have no memory of it one way or another.

We have agreed on our upcoming trip that no restaurant is worth waiting 90 minutes beyond our booking for. If it gets to 30 minutes and they can’t guarantee us getting in with the next 10 minutes then we will ease their burden and politely withdraw our reservation and walk away (and ensure we get no penalty for cancelling). It’s not worth ruining a trip over and we get ratty when we’re hungry and frustrated.

DH wants to eat there again in the future, and the same above rule will apply.

Other than that we’ve really not been disappointed with anything. We’ve done lunc and dinner at BOG (edited because I mistakenly wrote b’fast and lunch) and had a really super experience at both. We’ve done several that people above have been disappointed in and it makes me sad they didn’t have the same experiences we had. My experience at Cape May was excellent and the crab legs were perfect (I usually hate buffet crab legs). I’m hoping it will be the same this time when I take DH.

We have some booked, like Ohana among a couple of others, for Feb, and we’ll ‘manage’ our expectations after reading some of the above reviews. We’re on Free UK Dining Plan this time, so we’ve got a little more leeway if it’s disappointing as we haven’t paid cash for it.

It’s been an interesting thread. I don’t think it’s changed our mind, but as I said above, I think it’s helpful so people can manage their expectations and go in with a more balanced view.

Edited for clarity and typos

 

[captaindavidhook]

For us it was probably Yak & Yeti in 2015. DH really wanted that reservation for his birthday and I managed to get it. We showed up on time and honestly it was 90 minutes before we got in. I actually fell asleep (was in a wheelchair at the time) waiting. They kept telling DH ‘10 more minutes’ and he had wanted to eat there so badly that he kept believing them that it would be.

I had said in advance on the reservation that it was his birthday celebration. That was never once acknowledged. The service was just ok, but the server was overworked and disinterested. Once our food arrived we never saw him again and finally were able to flag him down after we were well finished eating.

The food was great. DH had the Ahi Nachos and it’s still the meal he goes in about over 3 years later. Mine was good. But I was already jaded but the 90 minute wait, so I really have no memory of it one way or another.

We have agreed on our upcoming trip that no restaurant is worth waiting 90 minutes beyond our booking for. If it gets to 30 minutes and they can’t guarantee us getting in with the next 10 minutes then we will ease their burden and politely withdraw our reservation and walk away (and ensure we get no penalty for cancelling). It’s not worth ruining a trip over and we get ratty when we’re hungry and frustrated.

DH wants to eat there again in the future, and the same above rule will apply.

Other than that we’ve really not been disappointed with anything. We’ve done breakfast and lunch BOG and had a really super experience at both. We’ve done several that people above have been disappointed in and it makes me sad they didn’t have the same experiences we had. My experience at Cape May was excellent and the crab legs were perfect (I usually hate buffet crab legs). I’m hoping it will be the same this time when I take DH.

We have some booked, like Ohana among a couple of others, for Feb, and we’ll ‘manage’ our expectations after reading some of the above reviews. We’re on Free UK Dining Plan this time, so we’ve got a little more leeway if it’s disappointing as we haven’t paid cash for it.
It’s been an interesting thread. I don’t think it’s changed out mind, but as I said above, I think it’s helpful so people can go in with a more balanced view.

Thank you. That's why I made the thread. I am glad it helps others out. Information is always important when it comes to dinning at Disney.

 

[Dezign]

The most interesting thing about this thread has been the consistent disappointment in California Grill, and in particular the service. My DH and I were there in 2006 and while I thought the food was acceptable, the service was laughably bad. It had a silly, pretentious vibe. The hostesses were giving the primo view seating to their friends, early 20 somethings playing dress up as the Sex and the City cast. Their first time out in high heels, or something. Their first cosmopolitan. I don't know. The whole experience was just...dumb. Like the snobby restaurant in the movie 'Date Night' where Steve Carrel plays hipster by wearing his suit jacket backwards? Yeah, I think they were at California Grill.

Oh, and my husband had had about enough (even before we were seated) so that when they tried to put us back in a corner after waiting 55 minutes past our reservation, he refused the table and asked to speak to a manager. We were shown a much better table and our waiter was fine, but really? Who needs the drama. So, it's just interesting that one of their signature restaurants is still so crap. Sad, because I'd love to try it again, but only if I thought it had improved.

I'm an excellent cook but really not too picky about eating out. I know I can prepare most anything I'm being served, so its not like I'm going to faint if the food isn't life changing. It's not like I'm a food snob or anything--for me it is more about the overall experience. I just like to enjoy being waited on and spending time with family and friends without the work, ha ha.

It's not that hard to make us happy, Disney restaurant ppl: Act like you are glad we are dining with you, be attentive but don't HOVER obtrusively (looking at you, Victoria and Albert's) keep your restaurant clean and inviting, limit the chaos and noise (although I get it--we are at Disney so some is to be expected) and don't RIP US OFF because we are a semi-captive audience.

Places on my *ick* list: CG, San Angel Inn (used to love it, but the heck with the tables all smooshed together and the food is no bueno lately) Biergarten (just...no. Trust me.) BOG dinner--before the 2 credit thing--too loud, too crowded, just blah food and lousy service. Now that it's 2 table services, did they take 1/3 of the tables out? No? Then, no. Le Cellier for all the reasons previously mentioned, Coral Reef for the dinginess of the restaurant (dirty carpet and dated, dingy decor).

Restaurant we have consistently had good experiences with: Crystal Palace for breakfast, Rose and Crown (always great wait staff, lots of fun to getting to know them) and that dumb food court in the Land. I know! But the food has always been good there! And it's fun people watching! And Tony's. We love Tony's! So see? Everyone's experiences/ tastes vary widely!

We are going next December with family. 7 adults, 5 kids aged 14 to 3. We will have good meals, maybe a great meal or two, mediocre meals and hopefully no horrible ones. But it all ends up being a nice memory--even California Grill and Victoria and Alberts--if only because we shared them and the memories make us laugh and grimace. That said: PICK UP THE BALL, DISNEY! Pay Eiger a mill less and buy a decent cut of beef! Sheesh!

 

[Moliphino]

I ordered the iced tea, which was this rather strange flowery stuff with no actual 'tea' in it. Not dreadful, but certainly not what my tastebuds wanted. No worries, it never got refilled. No refill offered on DH's beer, either

The iced tea at Tiffins is black tea with passionfruit and vanilla. It's actually really good quality tea.

 

[Chavaleh]

Homecomin'. I'd read nothing but glowing reports and we love Southern food. Our fried chicken was off... tasted like fish had been fried in the same oil and wasn't particularly crisp. Nothing else we had was remarkably good and even the sweet tea tasted as though it had been over brewed or sat around too long. Chicken aside is wasn't an inedible meal but after all the praise I'd seen I was expecting great things. May have been an off day for them but with how much Disney food costs and how many options there are it's difficult to want to give them another chance.

 

[keahgirl8]

Homecomin'. I'd read nothing but glowing reports and we love Southern food. Our fried chicken was off... tasted like fish had been fried in the same oil and wasn't particularly crisp. Nothing else we had was remarkably good and even the sweet tea tasted as though it had been over brewed or sat around too long. Chicken aside is wasn't an inedible meal but after all the praise I'd seen I was expecting great things. May have been an off day for them but with how much Disney food costs and how many options there are it's difficult to want to give them another chance.

This is so interesting to me. I have heard mixed reviews about the fried chicken. I did not have the fried chicken entree, but I had the Thigh High Chicken Biscuits and they were amazing!

 

[NYCgrrl]

Reviews for Homecomin' have been so mixed I've decided to memorialise my Virginia raised Nana's fried chicken by ignoring the restaurant's offerings. I might be on the fence regarding the chicken but the Church Lady's deviled eggs recipe just sounds wrong.

 

[Mousemom234]

The iced tea at Tiffins is black tea with passionfruit and vanilla. It's actually really good quality tea.

Hmm. I couldn't taste any tea, that I recall, but yes, it was pretty good - just not that brisk mouth-clearing unsweetened tea I was craving Thanks for the info.

 

[tomorrowland]

Le Cellier - the steak was nothing special and the service was really slow.

 

[Moliphino]

Hmm. I couldn't taste any tea, that I recall, but yes, it was pretty good - just not that brisk mouth-clearing unsweetened tea I was craving Thanks for the info.

Yeah, it's definitely not the same as your normal iced tea.
The first time we ate there they brought us vanilla simple syrup to sweeten it and it was amazing. That didn't seem to be an option the second two times we went. This is the tea, if you're curious.

 

[ThistleMae]

After awhile many of the restaurants just seem mediocre. Mostly, we like the ambience in some of the places, like BOG, but once you've eaten there, the magic is over. The first time it was awesome because of the atmosphere, but the food was nothing remotely special. We still eat at Coral Reef because it tends to be the most quiet of anyplace we've eaten. Sometimes it's a relief just to get out of the restaurant to get away from the noise, and that's saying a lot, considering we're exiting to go to a park! We have altered our eating plans every year, eliminating restaurants one by one. Next year, we have to configure a new eating plan altogether, haven't decided on that yet.

 

[cbeeindisney]

BOG dinner
Skipper Canteen
Hollywood Brown Derby

 

[tiggerunner]

Food and Wine is underwhelming for me. A few good bites, but mostly poorly cooked tastes. Best bet there is drinks and desserts.

 

[Captain Kittens]

Le Cellier, Morimoto and Cape May (both breakfast and dinner) are three I was hoping for great things from but disappointed mightily. The quality of food isn’t great at any of them (also, I hate the Cape May buffet set up). We will give Morimoto another try though. We had terrible issues at Narcoossee’s, a former favorite, on the first night of our vacation in 2017, our first Disney trip that all five members of my family were present in 4 years...to say I was excited is an understatement, but it was absolutely horrible in both food and service. It will be awhile before we try it again.

Homecomin’ is our new must do. Nothing has tasted like swamp water to us, lol. We do stick with mostly appetizers. Service there hasn’t been great though.

Curious what you did not like about Cape May's breakfast. Its a buffet with the basics...eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes, pancakes, scones, etc. etc. The quality of the food is exactly what you would expect a breakfast buffet to be so I know what to expect. How was your experience?

 

[ThistleMae]

Whispering Canyon has a great breakfast! We used to like to do dinner there, but it's just too loud, even though it's kind of fun. The food is good, we love barbecue and the corn bread is delish!

 

[MissMagnolia]

O'Hana breakfast - my daughter was excited to eat here because Stitch was her favorite. The food was not impressive. The ham had a weird texture, the scrambled eggs were clearly from a mix, and the fruit was just okay. My family doesn't like coffee cake, so the pineapple bread went uneaten. The Mickey waffles are simply waffles - nothing special. The service was fantastic. Our server was very friendly and kept our juice glasses full. It is a "one and done" for us.