Disland food- Please help a 1st timer!

[Kevin_W]

Also, many people say Flo's is good. What on the menu is good?

We had the pot roast with mashed potatoes last week. It was quite tasty and definitely a step better than what I would expect from a CS place.

 

[MCBWHITE]

Table service: Blue Bayou in DL. Haven't eaten there in a long time, so I don't have any specific meal recommendations, but the ambiance is truly unique and a must-do! Try to get a water-side table.

Counter service: Pacific Wharf Cafe in DCA. Wonderful bread bowl soups and salads. I love the broccoli and cheddar soup or the Sonoma chicken salad. You can ask for the bread on the side if you don't like soggy bread and/or if you want to save some bread for later.

Snack/treat: Jazz Kitchen Express in DTD. Beignets. Sooooo good!

Have a great trip!

 

[distripplanner]

Thank you!! Okay so clearly blue bayou is king of the list! Lol and we'll def check out Minnie's for a character meal. Any other suggestions for character meals-thoughts on goofy's? And sit downs? We will probably be there a week w/ some day trips outside of Disney but we would be back by dinner so perhaps meals at dtd or the resorts worth a try?

We usually have at least one table service a day at wdw, would it be wise to try to let go of that and just have 2 or 3 for the wk? Waaa waaa Hoping a few more suggestions/ recommendations pop up. Thank you again! Everything (minus the dole whips sound great!)

 

[Escape2Disney]

I know it's a popular place, but Blue Bayou isn't on our list of good restaurants. It was nice to go once just for the ambiance, but we feel the food was just okay. Here's our list of must-do restaurants:

• Café Orleans: On a 6 day trip, we'll usually hit this one at least twice. The food is spicy, but very good! I've never had a bad meal there.
• Carnation Café: We like the veggie sandwiches there. It's also nice to see Oscar (the chef who has worked for Disney for decades)
• Pacific Wharf Café: As others have said, you can get the soup/salad on the side and save the bread for snacks later. We like the vegetarian chili.
• Wine Country Trattoria: I know it's not popular on these boards, but we've always enjoyed this restaurant. Their Italian Wedding Soup is great!
• Minnie's Character Meal: We LOVE breakfast at the Plaza Inn with Minnie!! The character interaction is better than any other character meal (IMO) and we love the omelet bar.

We'll be trying Napa Rose and Carthay Theater in September. I hear both are great.

 

[tiggerluvr]

For DTD, I'd definitely put Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen on your list. I've always wanted to try Catal, but haven't had the opportunity yet (picky kids with me on every visit...except my next one ). I would steer clear of Naples, I didn't enjoy it at all. And Jo's has never been on my must-try list, but I live in California and I have 24/7 access to great Mexican food. I don't need to overpay for bland, mass-market "Mexi-Merican" food.

I was under the impression that Blue Bayou & cafe Orleans shared a kitchen. It seems like the majority of the menu is common between the two restaurants. So I'm surprised that the prior poster likes CO but not BB. I'm not super familiar with either one, but I'll be going to BB on my birthday in a couple months so I'm hoping for the "wow" experience others have had there.

 

[allsaintsatx]

Carnation Cafe for breakfast. Table service without the hefty prices, wonderful atmosphere, directly on Main Street, been there forever. We go there for breakfast as often as we can whenever we go to DL.

 

[Escape2Disney]

I was under the impression that Blue Bayou & cafe Orleans shared a kitchen. It seems like the majority of the menu is common between the two restaurants. So I'm surprised that the prior poster likes CO but not BB. I'm not super familiar with either one, but I'll be going to BB on my birthday in a couple months so I'm hoping for the "wow" experience others have had there.

These restaurants are across from each other and don't share a kitchen. When I went to Club 33, I was in a wheelchair and had to take the service elevator down through the Club/Café Orleans kitchens. While BB and Café Orleans do both sell the Monte Cristo, much of the menu is different. Also if you do want a Monte Cristo, it's quite a bit cheaper at Café Orleans. (we don't like the sandwich, but many people do)

 

[HydroGuy]

I was under the impression that Blue Bayou & cafe Orleans shared a kitchen. It seems like the majority of the menu is common between the two restaurants. So I'm surprised that the prior poster likes CO but not BB. I'm not super familiar with either one, but I'll be going to BB on my birthday in a couple months so I'm hoping for the "wow" experience others have had there.

We ate at Cafe Orleans Tuesday and BB today. My kids got gumbo both times. They said BB was much better and not the same.

 

[HydroGuy]

I was under the impression that Blue Bayou & cafe Orleans shared a kitchen. It seems like the majority of the menu is common between the two restaurants. So I'm surprised that the prior poster likes CO but not BB. I'm not super familiar with either one, but I'll be going to BB on my birthday in a couple months so I'm hoping for the "wow" experience others have had there.

We ate at Cafe Orleans Tuesday and BB today. My kids got gumbo both times. They said BB was much better and not the same.

 

[PirateFish989]

These are our favorites:

Cafe Orleans - we have never had a bad meal there. Their French onion soups is great (dripping with cheese, which I love). The cheese Monte Cristo sandwich is awesome and definitely big enough to share. The Mickey beignets are yummy too!

Bengal BBQ - soooo good! The tiger tails are super yummy and the beef skewers are great! Definitely not a big, heavy meal but absolutely delicious!

Carnation Cafe - the potato soup is incredible!

Taste Pilots' Grill - great grilled chicken sandwich

Jazz Kitchen Express - we stop and get their beignets at least twice every day of each trip

Tortilla Jo's - amazing table side guacamole!

Naples - we have never had a bad meal here, their lasagna is so good! Their pumpkin ravioli is too sweet for my liking. Last time we were there, the balloon guy stopped at our table and spent a good 45 minutes with us (4 adult women), it was so much fun and we got 6-7 balloons too (Mater, Lightning McQueen, Cinderella, Tinkerbell, Squirt from Finding Nemo, and a princess crown for me...)!

The Blue Ribbon Bakery, when it was called that, had amazing, huge cinnamon rolls that were to die for (very sweet, but I love sweet). I haven't been to the Jolly Holiday bakery since it opened so I can't say if they still have them or not.

 

[Fantaluminishes]

I'm surprised I haven't seen Carthay Circle Restaurant or Big Thunder BBQ on here. Both are fabulous for different reasons:

Carthay Circle - Possibly the best food in either park. The menu for the WoC dining package is more than adequate, and the main menu is quite extensive. This is also the closest you will get to a "signature restaurant" at either park. (Blue Bayou is a close second)

Big Thunder BBQ: This is the best TS "value" in all of the DLR. Great "all-you-care-to-eat" BBQ chicken and ribs, along with cole slaw, beans, cornbread adn a drink for around $24 per person. This is an outdoor setting, with shade and entertainment to boot.

We were just at DL a few weeks ago, and loved both of these places. Other suggestions from our trip include beignets from Ralph Brennan's express (skip the Jazz Kitchen dinner), also the Corn Dog Castle at DCA has the best spicy corn dog I've ever had. The regular corn dog and cheese on a stick are also fabulous. Also love the cupcakes at the candy shop on Main Street.

 

[MCBWHITE]

I love Surfs Up at the PPH. Great for the classic characters! We saw Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy (and/or Pluto - cant remember exactly!) and Stitch! So much fun, great character interaction, good food....very fun time! My three girls loved it and danced quite a bit with several of the characters. Are you traveling with children? I think most younger kids would love it!

 

[distripplanner]

Yay I'm getting excited now that I'm seeing more positive reviews on more table service locations (which I love and character meals too). Planning this trip is so vastly diff than preparing for wdw! Dh will hope for lots of quick service and also have a lil one who loves seeing his "friends" while we eat. So I think everyone will be happy (actually I know we will because it is Disney after all!).

Quick question about breakfast at the Plaza w/ Minnie, would you try to get this in before the park actually opens since there isn't much of an opening ceremony or do a later breakfast there?

I'm not sure if we will stay on or off-site yet so I don't know if we will be doing mm or not. Still trying to convince myself it's not a "must do" for us there like it is at wdw. Since its our 1st visit I still feel the need to stay on-site. That's a question for another post! Lol

Thank you for all the great responses!

 

[distripplanner]

One more thing, I've seen no mention of Steakhouse 55. We adore Le Cellier and I get that it's not an apples to apple comparison but is it decent/worth a stop? I wish we could do club 33 (me and everyone else that is part if the lucky club)!!

 

[crystal1313]

We LOVE Steakhouse 55. It's always been a wonderful dining experience for us.

 

[distripplanner]

Good to know! I think I now have some good places to try. i also think w/ the quick/counter service focus as disland we will go w/ it and scale back our table service meals to maybe do some additional things that we don't at dis world like legoland or sea world and a beach day. Thanks for all the replies!

 

[A Small World]

Im surprised there has been no mention of Napa Rose. Expensive but definitely worth it.

Im my 3 trips to DL we've eaten there each time and loved it.

Also eaten at Steakhouse 55 each time and loved the food each time as well

Last year we ate at Carthay Circle for the first time and again enjoyed it.

For counter service Flos and Paradise Garden Grill get my vote

 

[tdashgirl]

Probably the biggest difference between WDW and DL in terms of dining is that you don't need to plan much for DL

My personal favorites in the parks : Monte Cristo at Cafe Orleans (you can get that at both lunch and dinner, unlike the Blue Bayou which serves it only at lunchtime). The French Toast at Flo's. The hand dipped ice cream bars at Clarabelle's. The corn dogs at either Corn Dog Castle or the Red Wagon. Fried Chicken at the Plaza Inn. The sourdough bread bowls (filled with soup or salad) at Pacific Wharf are amazing. The lobster nachos and tri tip sliders at the Cove Bar (great view here also).

DtD, you get love-it-or-hate-it reviews here, but my family really likes the pizza at Naples. I like the guacamole at Tortilla Jo's -- but be aware this is very much Cal-Mex food.

 

[Kevin_W]

Quick question about breakfast at the Plaza w/ Minnie, would you try to get this in before the park actually opens since there isn't much of an opening ceremony or do a later breakfast there?

We did this as a 10:30 "second breakfast" (says my inner hobbit) on a morning that we were in the park at 7AM. Having eaten breakfast in our hotel room at 6AM, we were definitely ready to eat again by 10:30 and sitting down for a bit was a nice break.

Another benefit was that the restaurant was pretty much dead by this time so the characters had tons of time to spend with us. We've done ~10 character meals at WDW over the years and this was as good or better than any of them.

 

[dnamertz]

. The hand dipped ice cream bars at Clarabelle's. The corn dogs at either Corn Dog Castle or the Red Wagon. Fried Chicken at the Plaza Inn.

Do they serve the same corn dogs at either location? I've heard people rave about the Red Wagon corn dogs, but I'm wondering if I can get the same thing at Corn Dog Castle.