Help! My Rainforest Cafe dream might be floating away on the Amazon!

[Hisreputation]

Well, I'm in a bit of a pickle. I have wonderful memories of eating at Rainforest Cafe during our last trip to DLR--when I was a kid. When this plans for this trip where beginning to hatch, I knew it was something I wanted to do.

Last night, on a whim, I decided to look at some reviews for RFC. I was troubled to see so many negative ones! LOTS of people complained that with poor food and inflated prices, the atmosphere was the only thing going for the place. I was really bummed!

So, here's what I'd love from you all. How bad is RFC? Is the food really that bad in and of itself, or do people simply have higher expectations based on what it costs?

And Part 2. We have a large family (5 adults and 2 teens) and are on a budget. With a family this big, we rarely ever go out to eat even at home; if we do, it's fast food type places. The only table service action we see is in our dining room!
Because a meal for seven can add up quickly, we aren't planning on that many table service meals (either in DLR or off-site). Is our table service budget better spent at RFC or one of the DLR proper/DTD restaurants Here are some of the ones that sounded good for our family:
Cafe Orleans
Carnation Cafe
La Brea Bakery Cafe
Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen
Rancho del Zocalo
River Bell Terrace
Tortilla Jos

 

[Rubygoose]

Well, I'm in a bit of a pickle. I have wonderful memories of eating at Rainforest Cafe during our last trip to DLR--when I was a kid. When this plans for this trip where beginning to hatch, I knew it was something I wanted to do.

Last night, on a whim, I decided to look at some reviews for RFC. I was troubled to see so many negative ones! LOTS of people complained that with poor food and inflated prices, the atmosphere was the only thing going for the place. I was really bummed!

So, here's what I'd love from you all. How bad is RFC? Is the food really that bad in and of itself, or do people simply have higher expectations based on what it costs?

And Part 2. We have a large family (5 adults and 2 teens) and are on a budget. With a family this big, we rarely ever go out to eat even at home; if we do, it's fast food type places. The only table service action we see is in our dining room!
Because a meal for seven can add up quickly, we aren't planning on that many table service meals (either in DLR or off-site). Is our table service budget better spent at RFC or one of the DLR proper/DTD restaurants Here are some of the ones that sounded good for our family:
Cafe Orleans
Carnation Cafe
La Brea Bakery Cafe
Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen
Rancho del Zocalo
River Bell Terrace
Tortilla Jos

Their prices are quite high for lunch and dinner, which is why we'll be going to breakfast at 10:45 on our upcoming trip. We go for the atmosphere, and not for the food. I actually didn't want to go this year, because last year we had a coupon for a free appetizer and the spinach dip we got made DH and myself sick that night (like, rushing to the toilet sick!) The kids were fine, and they hadn't eaten the spinach dip, and I'm pretty sure that's the only thing DH and I ate that day that was the same.

Of your list, Rancho de Zocalo and River Bell Terrace are both Counter Service, but are both very good. I didn't like Tortilla Joe's, and found it to be mall food court quality food for an extremely high price.

 

[Californiacicle]

We ate there on the 5th and honestly, it wasn't worth the price in my opinion. The food was just average. We went there because we were meeting up with a friend and her family and we thought the kids (one 5yr old and two 6 yr olds) would enjoy it. They didn't seem to care about the atmosphere at all.

Of those you mentioned we really like Rancho del Zocalo and Cafe Orleans, though Rancho del Zocalo is counter service.

 

[BSOGfam]

We went to RFC last year, and we were unhappy with our experience. For myself, DH and DS3 it was about $70 which included tip. We were so happy with every meal we had at DLR, and those were half that price or less. The service was slow, and the food was nothing great. The atmosphere is fun, but doesn't make up for the quality and prices. I would go with Cafe Orleans instead

 

[MOpGrad2013]

Haven't done the RFC in either Disney location, but we did go with a party of 16 to the Galveston location. Food was decent--Applebye's Chilis Denny's equivalent. But the price is driven by the experience. And the experience is all about the atmosphere. It's loud. DH can not wait to experience it. We have one in Nashville and the prices are the same as the Disney locations. That is a good thing--not being driven up by the theme parks.

We are also fortunate to have the Aquarium and Claim Jumper--both run by the same corporation. Claim Jumper was quiet, but the food and prices are similar.

The best is for you to determine if you really want the experience, the environment and then the price for the food.

 

[SweetAlex]

RFC is the only TS we went to our last two trips because it was more affordable than many others and we actually all enjoyed it. The food was great, service was excellent and the atmosphere is just so cool. When they are busy, it's actually amazing to watch. Within 1 minute of a family leaving a table, 2-3 bus boys would magically appear, clean the table in record speed, set it and within 5 minutes, the next group would be sitting down. Crazy!

We liked it but like you, we don't go out too much for dinners, especially "fancy" ones so maybe our expectations are less than others. I think you'll like it!

We tend to stick to CS restaurants while in the parks and we've never had anything to complain about.

 

[Zbugz]

We ate at the RFC at another location and felt the food was lackluster and expensive. The atmosphere is pretty neat however.

Here are my experiences with these:

Cafe Orleans - good, but slow and expensive for what you get
Carnation Café - very good
La Brea Bakery Café - I haven't been there yet.
Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen - very good, lots of variety, my fave on this list
Rancho del Zocalo - okay counter service
River Bell Terrace - slightly better counter service
Tortilla Jos - The food didn't impress me much. I would skip it.

Unless the RFC atmosphere is appealing to your group, I'd go with the Carnation Café or RB's Jazz Kitchen.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

We have eaten at the RFC and while it isn't horrible, it's certainly not where I'd pick to spend money for a sit down. On your list, we LOVE Jazz Kitchen (eat there every time) and dislike Tortilla Jo's.

 

[DizMe]

I like it. I don't think it's fabulous food, but it's good and my kids are happy. Is it overpriced? Sure, but I have ways around that.

First, I signed up for the Landry's Select Club. It generally costs $25, but you immediately get $25 to spend at the restaurant. In addition, you get another $25 in your birthday month, so if anyone in your party is having a birthday the month you go, sign them up. Net savings: $25. You also get either 10% off your food bill or a free appetizer. Note: you can't have separate checks and get the discount for everyone else. You CAN pay it all on one check and get the discount. My son just got back and they were given 20% off with their Landry's card! I think that was a mistake, though.

Second, I belong to MyPoints. It's very easy for me to rack up points by click-throughs (emails, shopping, surveys). I often cash out with Landry's gift cards and usually have $100 or so to spend at RFC.

Finally, you can sign up for the Simply Patina group's email club if any of the adults in your party have a birthday near your trip. They will give you $30 credit which you can use at one of their DTD restaurants--Naples, Tortilla Jo's, Catal, or Uva Bar.

Here are links for those: https://www.landrysselect.com/SelectClubFeatures.aspx
http://www.patinagroup.com/joinus.php

Some of the details may have changed, so check those links to verify.

 

[aliceindisneyland]

I don't think RFC prices are too out of line, except as I recall for the kid's meals, which you won't need. The service, however, is atrocious. To be fair, perhaps they have gotten better in the 2 years since we visited. We went 3 times and the service was worse each time; on our final visit I never got my food and the server took the order for a large party after I told her I hadn't gotten my food before she went to the kitchen to find it! The manager even asked me *if* I wanted it taken off my bill - I never got it but I guess he still wanted to give me the option of paying for it!
Since you're on a budget, what about choosing one of the counter service restaurants you listed like Rancho del Zocalo or River Belle Terrace, and having dessert and coffee at Blue Bayou? We have done that with a large party a couple of times. It's exponentially cheaper than dinner, you're in and out in under an hour, and you get to enjoy the ambiance.

 

[figment_jii]

So, here's what I'd love from you all. How bad is RFC? Is the food really that bad in and of itself, or do people simply have higher expectations based on what it costs?

I don't think it's true of everyone, but I do think that higher costs tend to make people have somewhat over-inflated expectations about a lot of places in DLR (and any theme park or tourist location). I'll admit that I'm a relatively easy going diner and tend to like places more often than not. There are very few places in DLR (or WDW) that I won't go back to.

I do like RFC; one thing to note is that while the prices are high, I find the portion size to also be large and usually end up splitting an entree. I have a normal sized appetite (I think) and we usually share an appetizer and then split an entree and that's enough food for me.

These is my take on the places you've listed:

• Cafe Orleans - I think this is one of the more moderately priced TS locations in DL. I've enjoyed my meals there and have found the service to be good. It is something, however, to only eat at when the weather is good. It's mostly outdoor seating, which is a great feature in good weather because you can eat and people watch.
• Carnation Cafe - I liked this one and it's another moderately priced TS location. The fried pickles were really yummy, the salads are pretty good, and service was fine. Again, a good portion of the seating is outside.
  La Brea Bakery Cafe - Haven't eaten at this one.
  Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen - this is one of my favorite venues in DLR. I really like the Bourbon Street sampler (appetizer), the shrimp and grits (entree), and beignets (dessert). It's prices aren't terribly high, but they aren't cheap either.
• Rancho del Zocalo - it was okay (kind of spicy) and not somewhere I generally go. This one (and River Belle) are hard to compare with the other places because these are counter service locations (rather than TS).
• River Bell Terrace - I liked this one as well, but it's nothing extraordinary. Also, it is a counter service and not a table service.
• Tortilla Jos - I haven't eaten at this one.

 

[DDhunter]

We ate at RFC once a couple of years ago. I remember it was good, not great, but the atmosphere is fun. We have discussed going a few times since but have never felt compelled enough to go.

Ralph Brennan's is indeed very good food and usually very good service. However, I personally think it is one of the more expensive dinner choices. We were there last weekend and I don't think there was an entree choice under $23.

We also like Naples in DTD, you can get a gigantic pizza there that is in the $40 range, we often do that when we have a big group.

 

[millie0312]

Well, I'm in a bit of a pickle. I have wonderful memories of eating at Rainforest Cafe during our last trip to DLR--when I was a kid. When this plans for this trip where beginning to hatch, I knew it was something I wanted to do.

Last night, on a whim, I decided to look at some reviews for RFC. I was troubled to see so many negative ones! LOTS of people complained that with poor food and inflated prices, the atmosphere was the only thing going for the place. I was really bummed!

So, here's what I'd love from you all. How bad is RFC? Is the food really that bad in and of itself, or do people simply have higher expectations based on what it costs?

And Part 2. We have a large family (5 adults and 2 teens) and are on a budget. With a family this big, we rarely ever go out to eat even at home; if we do, it's fast food type places. The only table service action we see is in our dining room!
Because a meal for seven can add up quickly, we aren't planning on that many table service meals (either in DLR or off-site). Is our table service budget better spent at RFC or one of the DLR proper/DTD restaurants Here are some of the ones that sounded good for our family:
Cafe Orleans
Carnation Cafe
La Brea Bakery Cafe
Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen
Rancho del Zocalo
River Bell Terrace
Tortilla Jos

First of all we have not eaten at some of the locations you were asking about- the only place we have tried besides RFC is the Jazz Kitchen and I have to say other than the LONG lines at the time we went we LOVED it! We didn't do TS though and took it to sit in DTD and watch the live music- the beneighs (sp?) are AWESOME and my DD and I ate a large bag of them ourselves (be careful the powered sugar gets ALL over but still so worth it lol).
Anyway, in regards with the RFC we have been to several including the one in DTD and always have a good meal and great service- even when they are slammed busy. I have a food allergy and not only did our waiter (at the DTD location) make sure to note it over and over in the order and check my food several times and with me several times, he had the chef come out and ensure they could make what I wanted without my allergen and it was great! My DD is almost 7, but we went last year when she was just turning 6 and she loved the atmosphere. They gave her a fun crown to wear and plenty of coloring and activities to do on the kids menu. My DD and I are both VERY picky eaters and if anyone might not like the food both on the regular menu or kids menu it would be us- we had great food and left full. We also always order one of the fun drinks in a suvenir cup (they give you a clean one at the end of your meal) and we love the fun desserts too. We usually don't buy at the gift shop, but we love to look around and enjoy the fish in the front before or after we eat as well as their squished pennies there. As far as deals- because they are TS and aren't super cheap- my mom signed up for the Landry's club card. You pay $25 up front but immediately get $25 credit on your card. It allows you to accrue points for additional $25 off as well as getting your priority seating if you don't have a ressie. On the month of your birthday and two weeks after you also get an additional $25 off and both can be used together. My mom's birthday (they say the check ID's but I dont know for sure they do) is in the December, which is when we are going so it works for basically 1/2 off already. I also signed up for their email list and they sent me a free kids meal or chef's appetizer- we will choose the kids meal. So basically for $25 we will get a $50 credit as well as a free kids meal (we only have 1 kiddo with us), so we will not be out much more than that for our whole meal AND the initial $25 is already paid and budgeted and done Hopefully that helps you a little and you have a great experience at RFC if you go

 

[cmpeter]

I think it can be a fun experience for younger kids. I wouldn't choose to eat there for an adult meal (with just my dh for example.) Neither of my teens would choose to eat there (and they have eaten there as little kids.) The food just isn't that great and my teens wouldn't be into the fake jungle atmosphere.

 

[jina]

We went this past March for lunch during mid-afternoon when the restaurant wasn't busy and the service and food were terrible - we've had good experiences at other locations. We also have allergies (1 crumb of gluten and I'm sick for days) and I do love how the chef comes out to help us place our order.

In general we love Landry's restaurants - especially Bubba Gump's and T-Rex (at WDW). We won't be going back to RC in DTD our next trip and it's my b-day (we just decided we'll drive up to San Francisco sometime that month to go to Bubba Gump's - best view ever - thanks to whoever posted about the $25 b-day month credit!).

While DD4 thought Rainforest Cafe was neat to look at but there are so many other good options out there which are just as fun to look at.

Instead we're going to go try the Jazz Kitchen Sunday brunch (site says magicians come to your table which DD4 will love) and my b-day lunch will be at either Blue Bayou or Big Thunder Mountain Ranch BBQ. ADR's are in place. Now I just have to decide whether to order a gluten free b-day cake - I'd be in heaven but I'm trying to figure out how to spread our funds out to meet the trip budget.

 

[SplashMo]

RFC - Possible solution. We go there for dessert and get the earthquake to split. Last time was in Galveston (same as a previous poster).

Food quality is just OK and is higher then you would pay for equivalent food. Atmosphere is nice.

 

[LilPiratesMommy]

What we do at Rainforest is order the nachos and share it. 3 adults have a hard time finishing it. I also use the landrys card or my annual pass discount. I believe the Nachos are 14.99.

 

[bakerudall]

I like it. I don't think it's fabulous food, but it's good and my kids are happy. Is it overpriced? Sure, but I have ways around that.

First, I signed up for the Landry's Select Club. It generally costs $25, but you immediately get $25 to spend at the restaurant. In addition, you get another $25 in your birthday month, so if anyone in your party is having a birthday the month you go, sign them up. Net savings: $25. You also get either 10% off your food bill or a free appetizer. Note: you can't have separate checks and get the discount for everyone else. You CAN pay it all on one check and get the discount. My son just got back and they were given 20% off with their Landry's card! I think that was a mistake, though.

Second, I belong to MyPoints. It's very easy for me to rack up points by click-throughs (emails, shopping, surveys). I often cash out with Landry's gift cards and usually have $100 or so to spend at RFC.

Finally, you can sign up for the Simply Patina group's email club if any of the adults in your party have a birthday near your trip. They will give you $30 credit which you can use at one of their DTD restaurants--Naples, Tortilla Jo's, Catal, or Uva Bar.

Here are links for those: https://www.landrysselect.com/SelectClubFeatures.aspx
http://www.patinagroup.com/joinus.php

Some of the details may have changed, so check those links to verify.

I have to give a big to Patina Group! At Naples last month, I found I had left my $30 birthday certificate in my hotel room. I kicked myself for awhile, but then my wife suggested asking if they could scan it off my phone from my email. The server went to talk with her supervisor and came back to tell me it had been taken care of. They never asked to see my phone or ID and applied the discount anyway.

As far as RFC goes, the food is equivalent to Applebee's/Chili's. Just order some appetizer samplers and desserts and have a good time!

 

[bumbershoot]

First, I signed up for the Landry's Select Club. It generally costs $25, but you immediately get $25 to spend at the restaurant. In addition, you get another $25 in your birthday month, so if anyone in your party is having a birthday the month you go, sign them up. Net savings: $25. You also get either 10% off your food bill or a free appetizer.

I'm not sure they do the percent or appetizer anymore. I believe that was the biggest change when they went from Safari Club to Landry's Select.


From their site.

As a member of the Landry’s Select Club, here are some of the benefits you will receive.

Earn Points – 1 point for every dollar spent at participating Landry’s locations.
Welcome Reward – $25 Reward automatically added to your account upon registration.*
Birthday Reward – $25 Reward which can be redeemed during your birthday month.
Priority Seating – Receive seating privileges, seven days a week.
Retail Benefits – Receive a 10% discount or earn points on your purchases (benefit based on retail location)
Gift Cards - Earn points when you purchase gift cards.
Online Access – 24-hour access to your account to review transactions, point balances and rewards.
Email Notifications – You will receive information about rewards and other important club news.
Faster Delivery of Rewards – Rewards are automatically added to your account, so no more paper gift certificates!
Member-only access to special offers and promotions, including our entertainment and hospitality venues.

But especially with a big group, DEFINITELY sign up for it even for just one visit. Hopefully the person in your party has a birthday month when you're going. Of course, they don't card you. Just sayin'.



We're vegetarian and enjoy our simple meals there. First, we hate the veggie burger. That thing is awful. But we get the pita quesadillas made without the chicken. DELICIOUS, every single time I've gotten them, and for me that's saying something. Nachos without meat or beans. Mozzarella sticks. Cheese pizza (kid's meal). Those things have never let us down.

 

[figment_jii]

I'm not sure they do the percent or appetizer anymore. I believe that was the biggest change when they went from Safari Club to Landry's Select.

Yeah, no discounts on the food. You might be able to get a free appetizer (chef's choice) if you find one of their flyers with a coupon on it that some of the hotels seem to have (check the rack of flyers to see if there is one for RFC).

But especially with a big group, DEFINITELY sign up for it even for just one visit. Hopefully the person in your party has a birthday month when you're going. Of course, they don't card you. Just sayin'.

I don't think they have to card you for the birthday reward. It shows up automatically on your account on the 1st day of your birthday month.