Do you think a meal at the Blue Bayou is worth the price?

[goaliewife]

OMG, we have ressies there for this Friday night. We have eaten there in the past and it was very good and we had no complaints, but after reading all of your recent reviews, I don't know if we want to eat there. We may have to reconsider this.

 

[staley7580]

OMG, we have ressies there for this Friday night. We have eaten there in the past and it was very good and we had no complaints, but after reading all of your recent reviews, I don't know if we want to eat there. We may have to reconsider this.

We were just there in October, and It was great! Good service, great food, and i think it was the dark quiet... But even my 2yo was very calm!!! And trust, me, she is NEVER calm!

 

[DizMe]

goaliewife, we ate there twice in October and it was wonderful--they refilled my julep cup quickly; everything was good and timely. Others haven't been as lucky but I think that's the way it goes in a place that serves such huge numbers. I had a negative at Cafe Orleans but I know it was just a combination of factors that day. Relax and enjoy it! I bet you'll have a great time.

BTW, we only ate lunch there so I don't know if that makes a difference. Also, regarding the statement that there's nothing on the menu under $21, I just wanted to point out that that is true of entrees but you can order an appetizer. My dh got the crab cakes ($11) and paid a split-plate charge ($4) so he got salad, au gratin potatoes, rolls, and vegetables as well. As someone said earlier, when you pay the split charge you each get a full order's worth of the sides.

 

[goaliewife]

Okay, just got back last night from a 4 day stay at DL. First night we ate a Goofy's kitchen. The people that we were with had never eaten there. They loved it and can't wait to go back.

Second night we ate at House of Blues......got right in, service was wonderful. Everyone else raved about their meal. I ordered the chicken fried chicken which came with broccoli and mashed potatoes. Everything was cooked to perfection.....I didn't think it had much flavor, but everyone else eating the same thought it was wonderful.

Third night we ate at BLUE BAYOU.........whew, forget what I had read and forget what I posted above..........everything was perfect. Service, food, ambience, just everything was just as I had remembered it from the last time I was there. No one had any complaints. I had the gumbo to start, short ribs with white asparagus and broccoli, bayou potatoes. It was perfect. No room for dessert tho.

So there you have my critique. Maybe Disney was monitoring this thread and beefed up the service there.

 

[GoofyasGoofy]

Okay, just got back last night from a 4 day stay at DL. First night we ate a Goofy's kitchen. The people that we were with had never eaten there. They loved it and can't wait to go back.

Second night we ate at House of Blues......got right in, service was wonderful. Everyone else raved about their meal. I ordered the chicken fried chicken which came with broccoli and mashed potatoes. Everything was cooked to perfection.....I didn't think it had much flavor, but everyone else eating the same thought it was wonderful.

Third night we ate at BLUE BAYOU.........whew, forget what I had read and forget what I posted above..........everything was perfect. Service, food, ambience, just everything was just as I had remembered it from the last time I was there. No one had any complaints. I had the gumbo to start, short ribs with white asparagus and broccoli, bayou potatoes. It was perfect. No room for dessert tho.

So there you have my critique. Maybe Disney was monitoring this thread and beefed up the service there.

That is awsome tothink that Disney looks at the boards to see what real fan expect! I am glad that you had a great experience! I would like to think that maybe the service has improved...but I really will not take the chance again!

 

[goaliewife]

I guess.....to each his own.

I'll go back there again in a hot second, but I can understand that if someone has had a bad experience that they would not want to go there again.

 

[fairycat]

We eat there very rarely. Once in a blue moon for a special lunch, but we'd NEVER eat there for dinner.

Lunch is fine there. The atmosphere is great, and I do have to say the Monte Cristo is really good. But I was raised by an Italian mother and French father, and for us it's tradition to have a nice glass of wine with a fine dinner, and the BB doesn't serve either of those things.

I agree that the service there is lacking and the food can be, frankly, bad sometimes.

I have to say I wish they had wine too, but Walt decided to not have alcohol in the "park" (designated at the readily available park since Club 33 is not part of the "open" park) so we have to suck this up.

Overall I have to agree with those who say it is up to first your expectations of what you are going to get out of BB. Is it expensive? Probably, but that depends on what you think about prices. Personally I think of it as my big meal since we tend to snack or only do small things after a big meal at BB and if $22 is split over two meals then it isn't so expensive. I also expect to pay more because I am paying for the experience and because I am in Disneyland. They have you of course they are going to charge you more, they can. But with DTD it is a bit harder because there are other options there never where in the past.

I also have to add I HATE the new salad more so since I LOVED the old one, which was classy with mixed greens, candied nuts and more, this iceberg thing was awful and CHEAP. I hope others who have had the old salad will complain to BB because its terrible and the old one should be brought back, especially as prices rise. Sorry this made me mad, I pay more and get a stupid iceberg salad.

Will I be back to BB, heck yeah! I love the experience, and I love my favorite dish (the portabello mushrooms), but now I have friends at DTD places I tend to eat with them more, but still love BB.

 

[goaliewife]

I also have to add I HATE the new salad more so since I LOVED the old one, which was classy with mixed greens, candied nuts and more, this iceberg thing was awful and CHEAP. I hope others who have had the old salad will complain to BB because its terrible and the old one should be brought back, especially as prices rise. Sorry this made me mad, I pay more and get a stupid iceberg salad.

Will I be back to BB, heck yeah! I love the experience, and I love my favorite dish (the portabello mushrooms), but now I have friends at DTD places I tend to eat with them more, but still love BB.

I have to add that I personally did not have the salad wedge. Went with the gumbo this time which was wonderful. I used to get the salad with the candied nuts also and loved it. Two others in our party had the salad wedge and they loved it, but neither of them had ever eaten at BB before, so they did not know what they were missing. I do wish they would bring back the other salad also.

As far as prices go, we have eaten at the Jazz Kitchen and House of Blues, Rain Forrest and ESPN Zone. With the exception of possibly ESPN Zone, the prices were about the same with the only difference being that you can order an alcoholic beverage at DTD. To us, not a big deal. If we want a glass of wine or something else, we know where we can get it and we know that in DL we cannot. As stated previously, it is the experience we are after and it is Disney.

 

[bumbershoot]

fairycat, we're opposite. I doubt I'll need to try the portobello again, but I loved the wedge salad (without the sausage, of course). Then again, what you're describing about the "old" style of salad sounds like a kind of salad I can get semi-locally, and love...but I reserve that sort of salad to the exact places I'm used to.

Wonder if BB would let me order JUST a salad and dessert?

 

[DangerMouse]

:Wonder if BB would let me order JUST a salad and dessert?

I'm sure they would, since I know they often have seatings for dessert only.

 

[brenda1966]

Do you have to specifically request a seating for "Dessert only"?

I'm also wondering about the split plate charge. If DD and I went in there and ordered one entree and then just an empty plate (we don't need 2 sets of sides), do we still get charged a split plate fee?

I guess my fundamental questions is: do they make each person order an entree?

 

[bumbershoot]

Danger, I basically meant, is the wedge salad something you can order independently.

I've seen one person make mention (here? elsewhere?) that they saw someone get kicked out b/c they just wanted to order dessert and an appetizer, but...from my impression of the place when we went there, I don't really think they care WHAT you order, as long as they can make it and charge for it.

 

[DizMe]

Do you have to specifically request a seating for "Dessert only"?

I'm also wondering about the split plate charge. If DD and I went in there and ordered one entree and then just an empty plate (we don't need 2 sets of sides), do we still get charged a split plate fee?

I guess my fundamental questions is: do they make each person order an entree?

I don't know about letting them know you only want dessert, but you might mention it to them when you make the reservation just in case.

I am pretty sure you have to pay a split plate fee, regardless of whether or not you want extra sides. The exception would be if your child were under 3 (I think that's the age, but it might be 2). At $4, the split-plate charge is still a lot cheaper than buying 2 entrees!

 

[fairycat]

Bumbershoot I am so sad you didn't like the portabello mushrooms I have had them many, many times at BB both in the old style with the garlic mash potatos and the new one with the couscous and Loved both (though once I did have one that was not up to the normal quality with the old potatos). But I love portabellos anyway and all the flavors are right up my alley. I think it's a hard choice between the Caprese Sandwhich and BB's mushrooms on which is my favorite disney food vegetarian dish.

As to my experience yes you can get just a salad if you request one, I think they might also be able to do a larger one for an extra cost if you requested. I know they have several of menu options for vegetarians if you ask, but what ever you do, if its the old one don't eat the kids marinara pasta it was pretty bad.

To the salad I think my issue is the use of iceberg lettuce it just makes it seem "cheap", my other issue is I don't eat iceberg unless I am at a Denny's style place, I don't buy it and really don't care for it.