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Well, character meals are a very beloved part of many people's DLR trips, and the subject of them is often debated. You will get many differing opinions on which ones are the best for the money and
why they are the best. So based on that, I don't think there is one absolute answer, because people do have different preferences in their character meals. Those preferences could entail specific characters they want to see, better food vs. more characters, more characters vs. better food, overall ambiance, price, etc.
To start you off, feel free to peruse our dedicated character meal photo and information thread:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2234435
My personal preference is - and has been for a long time - Goofy's Kitchen. I like the huge buffet because there are so many choices, I love the quality of the food, and I am happy with the characters that always seem to be there when I am there (Goofy, Baloo, Chip, Dale, Pluto and a couple of Princesses, but there are many others who show up at Goofy's on days or at times when I am not there). Goofy's serves breakfast/brunch and dinner, all you can eat buffet - but no official lunch. It is considered "Premium dining," and therefore, has a pretty hefty price tag with it. There are anywhere from 4 to 8 characters in the restaurant at one time.
Ariel's Grotto (breakfast, lunch or dinner) is a favorite of many and it is also considered Premium Dining (so, again, lofty price tag). You will only see Princesses here - no furry/fuzzy characters. The food is definitely unique - more seafood-oriented than the other character meals and some more slightly upscale dishes.
Minnie & Friends (breakfast only) has an abundance of characters - and this is the only place where you will find Pooh, Tigger and Eeyore. There are consistently mixed reviews of the food quality, with a slant towards the negative, but because it is cheaper than the other meals and provides so many characters, it is quite a big bang for your buck if seeing the most characters is what you prefer.
Surf's Up with Mickey and Friends (breakfast only) is relatively new (as of December). This is the only meal where you will find Daisy Duck and Stitch, as well as the only one where Mickey makes an appearance. The price is almost up to premium dining level, but does not offer as many choices in its buffet, although some of the buffet items are a bit unique and appealing (with slightly Asian or Latin influences).
Storytellers Cafe Critter Breakfast (breakfast only) offers buffet (a rather small buffet) or menu ordering, and it features many of the 'woodsy/jungly' Disney characters like Chip and Dale (they appear at 3 different character meals), Koda and Kenai, Terk, sometimes Meeko, etc. The ambience of the restaurant is quite nice, wiht a cozy, earthy feel to it. The buffet runs about $23 before tax and tip. The menu orders are comparably a bit expensive. People enjoy this meal because it offers a low-key, laid back, quiet alternative to the high octane fun of Goofy's, Minnie's and Mickey's meals, and the food gets consistently good reviews.
You can make reservations for any of these meals through Disneyland Dining - 714-781-Dine.
