DL Newbie...tell me about restaurants!

[humboldthny]

So our next trip is quite a ways off...but you can't start planning too early right?

Tell me about the restaurants at DL - both the good and the bad. Best counter service? character meals that are better and/or different than WDW? "must have" meals? We're not a picky crowd, so there isn't really anything we'll write off from the start.

 

[skiingfast]

Each park and hotel has 1 character meal location. PPH and GCH both have breakfast. DLH has all three meals at Goofy's kitchen. At GCH in Story Tellers Cafe you can do the buffet or order off the menu which has high prices that will cause the bill to approach the buffet price. In DCA Ariel's Grotto has princesses and does a brunch. In DL Breakfast with Minnie's and friends has a variety of chracters. All the food is basic buffet.

A lot of people like the Big Thunder Ranch BBQ which is family style and outdoor seating.

Napa Rose in the GCH is the finest food in the resort.

Blue Bayou in DL is inside the PTOC attraction and offers excellent ambiance.

Some locations have revamped menus that are well liked. CS at Hungry Bear and Village Haus.

 

[sonnyjane]

Here is a link to all the menus for the restaurants in the parks and hotels with their pricing:
http://allears.net/dlr/din/menu/menus.htm

 

[WorldofColor]

Character Breakfast wise, Goofy's Kitchen at Disneyland Hotel has the most variety of food while Minnie's at Plaza Inn in Disneyland Park has the most characters. Storyteller's Cafe has forest characters, like Chip and Dale, Brother Bear, and Baloo while Ariel's Grotto is focused on princesses if you have any preferences.

Favorite Table Service Restaurant wise,
Disneyland
Blue Bayou has excellent food with great theme. The ambiance is amazing and you will never have an experience like it. Pricey though.
Carnation Cafe is fabulous and while it's small and outdoor only, it's pretty popular spot. Their baked potato soup and pot pies are amazing and Chef Oscar himself is there preparing the food for most days.
Cafe Orleans is also amazing and you should definitely try Gumbo, Pomme Frites, and Mickey Beignets.

California Adventure
Both Ariel's Grotto and Wine Country Trattoria offer excellent food and both offer World of Color preferred dining options. You won't be disappointed with food nor view of the show.

Hotels Resort
Steakhouse 55 at Disneyland Hotel offers excellent breakfast and one of the best steaks around town. The atmosphere is very classy.
Napa Rose at Grand Californian Resort and Spa can't be compared with anything. It is truly fancy and you will feel like a royalty and pay a king's ransom as well.
Storyteller's Cafe also at Grand offers warm and unique setting. You can choose from limited but delicious buffet option to their normal menu.
PCH Grill in Paradise Pier Hotel is more of a casual American dining and it's very fun to dine at while eating some of the more casual popular food.

Downtown Disney
Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen has by far the best food and ambiance.
Naples have good Italian food but pricey as you can get similar food elsewhere for lower price.
Rainforest Cafe is an experience and food is also adventurous.

Counter Service wise I'll just name a few locations and items me and my family loves,

Disneyland
Bengal Barbeque - Safari Skewer (Bacon wrapped asparagus)
Royal Street Verdana - Clam Chowder Bread Bowl
Tiki Counter - Dole Whip
Hungry Bear Restaurant - Fried Green Tomato Sandwich
Mint Julep Bar - Mint Julep
Trabadour Tavern - Classic Baked Potato
Village Haus - BLT Flatbread Pizza
Redd Rocket's Pizza Port - Chicken Fussoli Pasta
Plaza Inn - Fried Chicken Meal

California Adventure
Award Wieners - Portobello Mushroom Hot Dog
Taste Pilot's Grill - Bleu Cheese Burger
Corn Dog Castle - Corn Dog
Paradise Garden Grill - Mediterranean Skewer
Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta - Spaghetti with Meatballs
Lucky Fortune Cookery - Korean Beef
Pacific Wharf Cafe - Broccoli and Cheese Bread Bowl

Hotels Resort
Tangora Terrace (D) - Hawaiian Cheeseburger
White Water Snacks (G) - Chicken Nachos

Downtown Disney
La Brea Bakery Express - Chili Cheese Fries
Jazz Kitchen Express - Jambalaya
Tortilla Joe's Taqueria - Chicken Tacos
Jamba Juice - Strawberry Nirvana
Popcorn Cart - Carmel Corn

Some good breakfast spots - Riverbelle Terrace, Steakhouse 55, White Water Snacks, Rainforest Cafe, Catal, Carnation Cafe.
There are much more food you should try then this but there are some of our favorites!

 

[disneylandkitkat]

In disneyland I like bengal bbq... good prices meat and veggies on a skewer and prezal and cheese. Good for lunch or light dinner. I also like pizza port pasta, pizza and salads. They have good kids meals if you need them also. Haus house or some call it pinochios. Has flat bread and regular personal pizzas. Pastrami burgers and salads and fries. Pizza port and haus house are very different so you can do them for lunch or dinner. The ticki room has dole whip floats to die for pineapple juice and pineapple frozen yogert. Also stage door cafe has good deserts and funnel cakes.

At California adventures Award weiners is good. Hot dogs and chips lots of different topping for hot dog or polish sausage. The tafforia is a sit down italian resurant not that pricey and very good. The boardwalk pizza and pasta is good too.

For charector meals or just a good lunch or dinner I recamend story tellers in grand california hotel. Also in the hotel is white waters a good snack/ counter food place u can easily get to it from california adventure theres an entrance in the park by grizzly river run.

In disneyland hotel i would go to the new hawwian resturnant starts with a t counters food but very nice good cheese burgers.

I'm always on a budget these are the places that are good and I can afford. I go every weekend so u can pm me if u have any more questions. Sorry about the spelling not that good at it do to disabillities.

Also in disneyland the blue byu is very nice but very expensive. You pass by it in pirates as ur on ur boat. Very nice place to go.

 

[GenGen22]

I eat off site a lot as there are a lot of restaurants in the general Disney area but I have eaten at:

Disneyland-

Rancho del Zocalo Restaurante - They have really good food and a nice patio area with heat lamps for evening eating.

Redd Rockett's Pizza Port - I didn't really like this place too much. If you have you have young children, they probably will like it. I just like a more authentic sauce on my pasta or pizza and if I had to compare their sauce to anything I would have to say Ragu. I don't like Ragu as it's too sweet for me.

DTD -

Rainforest Cafe - I have been here several times. They have good food and a awesome decore. You can't help but look around the place. They also have a gift shop to get souvaneers.