I'll edit this and add more information later but here's a quick run down of our favorites.
Best of the Best
Very difficult to pick favorites, like comparing apples to oranges. Many restaurants are just different. We do like the restaurants that are different (themes, shows, characters, music, etc.) and we like the signatures - it's great to try some finer dining with DS. So here goes some of my favorites by category.
Best Signature Restaurant - Flying Fish Cafe. The mussels appetizer sent me to heaven. The tuna entree was divine. DW loved the crab cake and red snapper. No complaints at all. The reviews of FF Cafe are consistently positive. That's a good sign. The boardwalk entertainers outside the restaurant gives Flying Fish bonus points. But I'll have to give a close tie to
California Grill. The sushi is great and I just loved that they had Pacific Monchong - a deep sea Hawaiian fish, it was nice to try a fish that is not usually available. I can only eat so much Mahi Mahi at WDW.
Best Steak - California Grill - This is DW's favorite - the filet. Steak isn't my favorite thing to order but DW calls this one... in comparison to the filet at Jiko (close tie), Narcoosees, Citiricos, and Brown Derby. I can't say I've had a bad steak anywhere at WDW, yet...
Best Park Restaurant - Yak and Yeti in Animal Kingdom Park wins head over heels. Just love this place. The decor is fun, convenient location, all the food was incredibly delicious. I enjoy the Safari amber ale.
Best Character Meal - This is a tough choice because it really depends on what characters you want to see. But I pick Hollywood and Vine breakfast (not lunch). The food is much better at breakfast, and this has the most character interaction with the children dancing with characters and cast members to Playhouse Disney music, and doing the usual table greetings. DS loved it at age 4 and 5.
Best Dinner Show - Didn't go to one in 2010, but again... depends on what you are looking for. We had a good time at Mickey's Backyard BBQ in 2008, Spirit of Aloha in 2009, and Hoop Dee Doo in 2009. All different.
Best Restaurants by Park -
Magic Kingdom - Crystal Palace. Great variety of delicious food, excellent service, convenient location. Love the Pooh characters. For a non-character meal, I'd pick lunch at Liberty Tree Tavern or go to one of the monorail resort restaurants.
Animal Kingom - Yak and Yeti. Delicious food. Enough said.
Hollywood Studios - 50s Prime Time. Fun joking around, delicious filling food. Awesome homemade milkshakes. If looking for the fantasmic package I'd pick Brown Derby (if still only a choice of BD, Hollywood n Vine, and Mama Melrose).
Epcot - This is a tough choice because all the restaurants are different. But... I pick Restaurant Marrakesh! We didn't go here in 2010 because we wanted to try other places... but I wish we did. I really enjoyed the music. I really felt like I stepped out of Disney World into Morocco. I didn't get that in other countries as much. This place gets very mixed reviews but we thought the food was delicious and service was great. San Angel Inn might have won if they had the Mariachi Cobre band playing in the restaurant.
We are going in 10 days time and upgraded to the DxDP only a week back! Your reviews have made us want to try Yak and Yeti for lunch, and a couple of our ADRs we're not sure about, like Narcoosee, have been given some more reasons to remain on the "think again" list!
I just can't help myself.
