DCA, etc Eateries not to be missed?

[Robindianne]

Hi there. We have 3 days at Paradise Pier in December. Are there any restaurants and/or counter places we shouldn't miss at the hotels or in the parks? I'm too excited. Need to make my requests in 3 days.

 

[DLR29]

I have not eaten at any of the hotels, however there are a few places in the parks/DTD that I really like:

DL- Blue Bayou for table service. Delicious food and go for lunch so you can have the world famous Monte Cristo sandwich. Basically fried yumminess. Also the Flying Dutchman cookie is to die for. Good counter service places include El Rancho del Zocalo in Frontierland (Mexican), Hungry Bear Restaurant in Critter Country (burgers, but you can get grapes instead of fruit on the side), and Redd Rocket's Pizza Port in Tomorrowland (pizza, but they have a wide variety of pastas and other healthy choices.

DCA- not much good food. Overpriced McDonalds, hot dogs, chicken strips, less than average pizza. Go to DL, a hotel, or DTD for a meal. Although you may want to try either the Golden Vine Winery or Wine Country Trattoria, which I've heard are good table service meals. Of course there's also the Ariel's Grotto character meal too.

DTD- Naples Ristorante and Pizzeria has very good gourmet pizza. Also the Jazz Kitchen has good food. Rainforest Cafe and Tortilla Jo's both have good food, but not amazing, though Rainforest Cafe's atmosphere is the best out of all DTD restaurants. ESPN Zone doesn't have great food that I've experienced.

 

[DangerMouse]

DCA: Pacific Warf Cafe has excellent salads and soups in sourdough bread bowls. Whitewater Snacks just inside the GCH private entrance to DCA has great food at reasonable prices as well.

 

[BillyFan]

I second Pacific Warf Cafe. Very yummy broccoli cheese soup in a bread bowl. They also have other soups, salads and sandwiches. Taste Pilots Grill, also in DCA, has good burgers, ribs, salads, etc.
At the Grand Californian, our very favorite meal is Breakfast at Storytellers Cafe. They have a buffet, or you can order off the menu. If you go to Storytellers, make sure to get PS.
At Disneyland, we like Cafe Orleans for breakfast, lunch or dinner. They have Mickey waffles in the morning and Monte Cristos in the afternoons. You should also get PS here, but it is much easier than getting into Blue Bayou, and also less expensive. Carnation Cafe on Main St. is another we like. Try the baked potato soup. It's the best!!!!
OMG, I can't wait until next month when I'm there!

 

[bumbershoot]

I actually haven't liked much of the food at DL/DCA, so I might not be the best to answer.

But my fave food is the vegetarian gumbo in a breadbowl at Royal St. Veranda, in New Orleans Square. Deeeelicious.

And while I didn't enjoy the portobello dish at Blue Bayou, I did enjoy the wedge salad that came with it (without the sausage).

Oh, I just remembered that DH had something that was actually quite good, even though the rest of the meal was just junk. At Pizza Oom Mow Mow at DCA, he had a pasta with marinara dish that was simple, but good.

Ooh another good one, we had the fajita vegetable soft tacos monterrey at Rancho del Zocalo in DL, and really enjoyed it. Two adults shared one plate of it, and while we weren't FULL, it was enough food for us.

 

[Iggipolka]

The Wine Country Trattoria is soooo yummy. They also have wine tastings for $10.

 

[actionvaughn]

DCA: I love the Taste Pilot's Grill! Even just the Flyby Fries with some chipotle mayo sauce is deelish. Lasagna Rustica at Wine Country also very good... I keep trying to duplicate their cream cheese spread at home but it's possible that it's just too awesome to do so...

DLR: Bengal Skewers at Bengal BBQ, Dole Whip at the Tiki Room, the enormous turkey legs at the carts. The Monte Cristco at Cafe Orleans is good also.

I'm getting hungry just thinking about all this food...

 

[jenksdj]

Take a look at the Disney dining reviews sticky at the top of this site. The pictures of the food there (and some of the rave reviews) will give you some great ideas!!

 

[cryssi]

corn dogs! DH and I LOVE disneyland corn dogs... Get them either at the red corn dog cart at the end of Main Street in DL, or at the Corn Dog Castle in DCA. Yummy...

Bengal BBQ is also a good choice! Mmmm. Tiger tails (breadsticks)...mmmmmmmmmmmm

 

[BillyFan]

mmmmmmmmmmmm.....corndogs. Heart attack on a stick, but you gotta love them. I do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[tinkermell]

mmmmmmmmmmmm.....corndogs. Heart attack on a stick, but you gotta love them. I do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This was my first thought too. "Heart attack on a stick. " But they are probably the best and biggest corndogs I've ever had!

I love the french dips at the French Market. Big enough to share.

 

[nunzia]

I second Pacific Warf Cafe. Very yummy broccoli cheese soup in a bread bowl. They also have other soups, salads and sandwiches. Taste Pilots Grill, also in DCA, has good burgers, ribs, salads, etc.
At the Grand Californian, our very favorite meal is Breakfast at Storytellers Cafe. They have a buffet, or you can order off the menu. If you go to Storytellers, make sure to get PS.
At Disneyland, we like Cafe Orleans for breakfast, lunch or dinner. They have Mickey waffles in the morning and Monte Cristos in the afternoons. You should also get PS here, but it is much easier than getting into Blue Bayou, and also less expensive. Carnation Cafe on Main St. is another we like. Try the baked potato soup. It's the best!!!!
OMG, I can't wait until next month when I'm there!

Also a nice mexican place by the place with the bread bowls and you can order from different places but all sit together. Oh yea..can also get margarita's there.
Don't miss the churro carts!

 

[beansf]

I recently got pretty bad service at Pizza Oom Mow Mow. The food was okay, though. I wanted to eat @ Red Rockett's but didn't want to haul it all the way back over to Tomorrowland for it.

 

[Robindianne]

Thanks for all the good tips everyone! Mmmmmmm Disney food. Any food tastes better when you're eating it at the Land or the World.

 

[samkj]

Is my family the only one who really HATED the food at Redd Rockets? Between our group of 10 we probably had a bit of everything and didn't like any of it. The pizza was the worst of the selections.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

We loved the salads at Red Rockets. Yummy stuff. We skipped the pasta and Jr. had the pizza. It was average. Similar to Sbaro.

We loved the 1/2 chicken at the place next to Big Thunder.
The Mexican food was average corporate though.

The soup in the bread bowls everywhere was yummy as was the chili in the bread bowl. MMMM. Bread bowls.

We liked the breakfast with lilo and stitch and the dinner at Goofy's.

Taste Pilot's grill was nice... FIXINS BAR!!! FIXINS BAR!!!!
Hungry bear was nice too. But no fixins bar cuz it's outside.
Both serve the usual burgers and chicken sandwiches. keep in mind two light eaters can split one adult burger and probably come away satisfied.

Whitewater snacks was good too and it's usually not all that busy. Much of the food is cooked to order though so it is a bit more of a wait than are the counters in the park. But you're waiting in a chair for your food with your drinks rather than standing in a line waiting...

Off site. Mimi's was great. Denny's was awesome for a Denny's, which is to say it was average. Tony Roma's was a bit of a disappointment. Usually get better there. The Pizza place at the main beach in Newport there was great. We ordered Pizza from some place on the back of our hotel card... But forgot which one it was.

That all was just last trip. As for other suggestions (not with a recent visit)
Catal, Napa Rose, Steakhouse 55. All really good.

 

[MagicalMomAZ]

I wanted to third or fourth Pacific Wharf - we had breakfast there, it was eggs & bacon in a bread bowl - yummy!

Also PCH Grill in PPH was good-I can't remember much except that it was quiet & the food WAS well prepared.

 

[Wendi2000]

Since you're staying at the Paradise Pier Hotel I've gotta recommend my favorite restaurant in the entire DLR... Yamabuki!!!

 

[AuntieM03]

PCH Grill at Paradise Pier and Carnation Cafe at DL are two of my recent favorites.

 

[Robindianne]

Thanks so much everbody! At a wonderful, authentic Italian place last night I told my DH I need to go to Italy now, for the food. Just the food. haha I am a foodie.