Disneyland Restauant Suggestions please

cncDisney4

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Oct 17, 2005
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I will be going to Disneyland in late January and haven't been there for over 40 years. I will be there only two days so I figured one day at Disneyland & one day at California Adventure. Staying at the new DVC Villas there.

Now, on to my question, could someone suggest some dining recommenations at Disneyland. At WDW we love 'Ohana's ... is there a restaurant like that there? What character meal would you suggest (there are adults only ... no children)?

Thank you so much. I know WDW front & back, but am lost at Disneyland.

Cheryl
 
We were at Disneyland in May. It's not like WDW for dining - you can make reservations the day before. Kind of refreshing! We did the character breakfast at the Grand CA (in Storyteller's Cafe). Great food and interesting characters you don't normally see. We also LOVED the sit down restaurant in New Orleans. I can't remember the name (it was not the Blue Bayou) but it was excellent. Try the Monte Cristo and beignets. Again, you didn't need a reservation. We walked up around 6pm and only waited 5 minutes.

Have fun! We loved Disneyland and CA Adventure. Also LOVED staying at the Grand Californian (so much that we bought there).
 
For character meals @ DLR, there will always be kids. IMO, Goofy's Kitchen has the best food, but it will have the most kids. To give you an idea, Minnie's, Mickey's, & Chip and Dale's are breakfast only. Goofy's serves brunch & dinner & Ariel's serves all 3. If you like the Hawaiian theme, Surf's Up! w/ Mickey & Friends will be @ the PPH.
But if you are looking for a place that is possibly more intimate, Blue Bayou and Cafe Orleans are good in DL, Wine Country Trattoria in DCA, the Jazz Kitchen in DTD, Napa Rose @ GCH, & Steakhouse 55 @ DLH (the last 2 are pretty expensive, but have really good food).
 

At DCA we love Ariel's Grotto for lunch or dinner. It is table service and the selections are very good. They bring a 3 tiered appetizer tray of crudite, salads and anitpastos with great bread and dippers. You choose your entree and then they bring a dessert tray out with a nice variety of treats. You can orde a glass of wine if you like. Dinner time would be nice so you could have a nice view of the boardwalk all lit up.
We love the Blue Bayou as the ambience is out of this world. It is a little more spendy than Cafe Orleans but we have always been happy with the quality of food.
 
Another suggestion for Blue Bayou; there just isn't any place like it! It's New Orleans-style food (not as spicy as the real thing, though :laughing: ) & the restaurant itsself is inside Pirates of the Caribbean, with a view of the boats going by. Unfortunately, there is no longer a Hawaiian-style restaurant in Disneyland (oh, how I miss Tahitian Terrace!). There is the "Surf's Up" character meal in the Paradise Pier Hotel, though. Currently it's still the "Lilo & Stitch" character meal, which I've been to many times & quite enjoyed. They had Hawaiian fruit grilled salmon, sticky rice, and pineapple scones, but I don't know if they'll still have the same menu when it switches over. If I had to choose one character meal, though, it'd be the Goofy's Kitchen breakfast, in the Disneyland Hotel. The food is good, the selection is HUGE & there are lots of characters there. I have no kids & have gone many a time with a group of adults & had a fabulous time :thumbsup2
 
Thank you everyone for your great suggestions. I'm off to look things over and make some decisions.

Thanks again and MerryChristmas!

Cheryl
 
Thank you everyone for your great suggestions. I'm off to look things over and make some decisions.

Thanks again and MerryChristmas!

Cheryl

Just a suggestion.. I saw that you were going to do one day at DL and one day at DCA, but I would recommend getting the parkhopper. DCA opens later and closes earlier and they are literally right next to each other, so you can walk from park to park. DBF and I have walked back and fourth up to 5 times in one day, because it is easy!:yay: A two day park hopper is $151 or $122 if you buy them at AAA.

As for restaurants, I recommend the Blue Bayou as well. I've never eaten there, though. :laughing: But it is really neat! DBF and I always eat at Red Rockets Pizza Port and Hungry Bear Grill. Although during your trip (mine too, I'll be there late Jan!:)) ROA will be drained, but the lower level of Hungry Bear is fun to sit at and enjoy the water. IMHO Red Rocketts has good pizza and great caesar salad!
 
I also think the parkhopper is a good deal for your trip.

I would recommend Blue Bayou for the experience. You might want to get lunch there. Steakhouse 55 is at the Disneyland Hotel (within walking distance), and service and food is excellent. For character dining I'd recommend Ariels' Grotto in California Adventure or Storyteller's Cafe at the Grand Californian (more understated). However, all the character dining is good, in my opinion, at the DLR.
 
Any ticket over a single day at DLR is a park hopper. :) The parks are about 500 yards apart so please, park hop!! :) It's definitely worth it. :)
As for dining, I would recommend the Blue Bayou for sure, the food is good, the atmosphere is great, ask for waterside seating but be ready to wait a little longer for that perk. We also really like Ariel's Grotto for anything other than breakfast, good food and Princesses!! Can't beat that deal! :) For a character breakfast we really liked Minnie & Friends, Goofy's Kitchen was not good at all so we skip that one now, I'm going to book us into the new one with Mickey at the PPH, I just need to figure out which day to do that. :) Storyteller's we've done for dinner, it's very good as well and DBF really enjoyed the buffet.
 

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