Dining Experiences That Were Worth It

[amcnj]

Hi. There seem to be a lot of negative dining experiences being reported lately. Some attribute it it the Dining Plans, others to the increasing cost now exceeding the benefit. My question is, have you had any recent Disney dining experience that you felt was worth the cost and time? Are there still some special places to dine at WDW that you have left from with more than regrets?

 

[NJGuy3]

Honestly, there are none that I ever left with having regret...just regret for not eating more!
These are just SOME that come to mind that were always worth it...

Table Service:
Cape May Cafe (breakfast)
1900 Park Fare (breakfast & dinner)
Kona Cafe (breakfast & dinner)
Le' Celliar (lunch & dinner)
Yachtsman Steakhouse (dinner)
Beaches and Cream (lunch)

Counter Service:
Earl of Sandwich
Sunshine Seasons
Pecos Bill

 

[Brian Noble]

I'd be hard pressed to say any of my dining experiences weren't "worth it". There are some places I'm not as anxious to return to as others, but I've never felt like I didn't have a decent experience at most of these places.

We tend to pick places for the experience moreso than just the food. And, on that metric, we've enjoyed most of our experiences. To be fair, on vacation I don't much pay attention to prices, but even so---compared to other similar venues, Disney's restaurants are higher quality, and a better value.

 

[robinb]

Counter Service:
Beaches and Cream
Earl of Sandwich
Pecos Bill

Beaches and Cream is considered a Table Service, but I agree that it is always quite good.

 

[irisbud]

CS:

Pizzafari (lunch)
Gasperilla's (sp?) (breakfast)

We aren't big CS people hence the short list

TS:

Kona (dinner)
LTT (Lunch)
GF Cafe (lunch)
WCC (lunch)

 

[KatMark]

Here are the ones that we have ALWAYS enjoyed and always go back to:

Table Service:

LeCellier (Lunch or Dinner)
Crystal Palace
Plaza Restaurant
Biergarten
Mama Melrose
Yak & Yeti (first time we went was this past September and we loved it and will be back)

Counter Service;

Cosmic Rays
Flame Tree Barbecue
Sunshine Seasons


We have had meals where service was a little less than expected or the meal not five star, but nothing that would make us not go back. We have had three regretable meals at Disney where we thought the service and food were unacceptable and we won't go back because it was so bad--Whispering Canyon, H&V and Boatwright's (dinner).

 

[SGMCO]

TS:
TUTTO Italia (dinner)
O'hana Best Friends Breakfast
Boatwright's at POR (Breakfast)--Stuffed Banana French Bread, Eggs Benidict.


CS:
River Mill at POR---Create your own Pasta
Pepper Market at CSR--had a good Grilled Salmon and a Steak choice.
The CS places in the park are not that good they all have about the
same type of fast food.

 

[lookingforward]

Worth It
Yachtsman Steakhouse (Delish)
Narcossees
Citricos
Tokyo Dining
Tusker House (A pleasant surprise)
Kona Cafe


Not Worth It
Sci Fi Cafe (bad service...marginal food)
Mexico (so-so food)

Still, a day at disney is always great!

 

[ElizabethB]

Frankly, IMO only the signature restaurants are worth the money any more. The 1TS restaurants, as a whole, have declined to the point of not being worth the money.

 

[Uncleromulus]

All the Signature spots we dined at last trip were well woth it--V&A, Yachtsman, California Grill, Narcoossee's, Il MUlino, Flying Fish. Because we were with friends, we did House of Blues. I can't say I truly didn't like it, but I doubt we'll go back anytime soon.
Can't offer an opinion on 1 TS or counter servivce or buffets--we almost never do any of those.

 

[Pakey]

I don't know that I would say that I have a lot of regrets and if I were just thinking about it as amusement park food, I would not be disappointed. However, compared to the experience and quality of 10 years ago, it has definitely declined, including the signatures. The restaurants are all noisy, crowded, tables too close, menus no longer offer as many unique items. Does that mean I hate the places? No. But they are not as good as they used to be.

True Regrets:

WCC
Pecos Bills
Yak n Yeti
Narcoosees

True Joys:

V&A
Bistro de Paris
Jiko
BOMA
Earl of Sandwich

 

[EnnEss]

Was at Boma for the first time last trip and was BLOWN AWAY. Was expecting to be a bit timid about the food but it was all familiar, but prepared slightly differently as well as old stand bys prepared just as you'd expect at an american restaurant, the service was the best Ive ever had, probably as good as an amazing server we once had at Narcoosees's, which was shocking considering its 'buffet'. Just wow!

 

[Neesy228]

Worth it in IMHO:

CS:
Pecos Bills
Earl of Sandwich

TS:
Crystal Palace
Akershus
Plaza

We've had above average food and service at all of these places.

 

[dnlsmith]

In our recent experience, these were worth the $....

Narcoosees
Kona
Le Cellier

 

[WriteDisney]

The good far outweighs the bad.. Every year more seem to make the must list.. one usually slips in as a "not worth it".. but with 5 musts being added each trip with only one not worth it (really not strong "not worth its" either.. like bad dining experiences off property.. just not to our liking).. thats not too bad!

Amazing:
Le Cellier
Cape May Cafe (breakfast)
Yachtsman Steakhouse (if you pay out of pocket and not on dining plan.. then not so much.. great dining place nonetheless)
Beaches and Cream
Earl of Sandwich (!)
Flame Tree BBQ
Coral Reef
Boulangerie Pattesserie (!)
Kringla Og Cafe (!)
Catalina Eddies

Not Worth it:
Ohanas
Rainforest Cafe
The Wave

Honorable mention:
Concourse Steakhouse (only went once but LOVED the food and wanted to go again)

 

[eccobleu]

From our last trip, these are the places that I think are worth it:

Le Cellier's
Spoodles
Wolfgang Puck Express

Not worth it:

Rainforest Cafe DTD
Pecos Bill

 

[engle]

WORTH IT:

V&A...3 times including the Chef's Table...worth it and then some.

BOMA...wonderful.

Jiko...double wonderful.

Nine Dragons...the new and improved. I have these dreams.....


NOT WORTH IT:
Cali Grill...not that it was bad, but I would have rather spent my money at V&A for another dinner!!!

 

[catho72]

These are the places we've enjoyed and will dine again even if we don't utilize the DDP:

LeCellier (we've only been there for lunch but I'm assuming dinner is just as good)
'Ohana (breakfast)
California Grill (we enjoyed the best service, food and atmosphere here!)
Plaza Restaurant (the BEST french fries at WDW)
Mama Melrose
Earl of Sandwich
Beaches and Cream
Cosmic Ray's
Captain Cook's (even though it's teeny tiny)
Riverside Food Court (POR)
Pinnochio Village Haus

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I'd say all the signature restaurants are worth it.

 

[Redbudlover]

Most worth it?
Flying Fish
Jiko, Boma - incredible food
Cali Grill, Narcoosees
Crystal Palace - and I usually don't like buffets
Tusker House
Casey's hot dogs!!!
fish and chips at UK in Epcot

Definitely not worth it and not going back:
Fulton's Crab House - cold food and overpriced both times I tried it
Citricos - I am in minority with this one, but I wasn't impressed
Liberty Tree Tavern - worst food ever - worse than my late mother's..... tried it twice - no more