Eating in the parks at
Disneyland resort is not nearly as interesting as at the WDW parks...except the AK.
At Disneyland there is one and a half full service restaurants.
The Blue Bayou is the biggie and is a wonderful place to eat for atmosphere. The food is fine but nothing spectacular except the Monte Christo sandwich.
The other full service place is the Carnation Cafe on one of Main Street's side streets. It is small and has breakfast and then lunch and dinner are the same with soups and sandwiches.
The Plaza Inn is a really pretty place to eat and has good food though a limited menue. It is "scramble" service and if you are there at restaurant opening you will under stand what scramble means.'
There are lots of counter service places.
Red Rockets Pizza Port has good pasta and salads and barely okay pizza
Rancho Del Zacolo, in Frontierland has Mexican and BBQ. I personally think the Mexican food is just okay. Have not tried the BBQ.
The French Market in New Orleans Square has a nice assortment to choose from that is pretty good with nice patio seating, if the weather is condusive.
Over at DCA there is less to choose from.
The Full service places are The Trattoria at the winery (downstairs) where there is okay italian food. Upstairs at the winery is very expensive with an upscale menu. I have not tried it but haven't read anything bad about it.
Ariels Grooto is a character meal. You pay one price and then choose a full meal off the menu. I really like the food here and the interior dining room is fun.
The counter service places are... Burger Invasion ( a McDonnald's), The pizza place ( just okay) and Taste Pilots Grill where I hear the hamburgers are pretty good. At Pacific warf there is a Mexican food place that was okay and the Warf Cafe with bread bowl soups and salads that everyone raved about ( I had gone to the Mexican place).
In Downtown Disney (which is between the two parks) there are numerous places to eat that I have not tried. Napoli italian food, Cafe Catal, House of Blues, Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen, Rain Forest Cafe and the new Tortilla Joe's.
A great, and usually quiet place to eat for lunch is the Storyteller Cafe at the Grand Californian (which is connected to the DCA park).
