Help with a recommendation for my in-laws

[Baileymouse]

My in-laws will be going with us in January, but they don't want to go to the more boisterous restaurants. I think they're going to need a break from the rest of us at least once or twice. We are booked at Chef Mickey's one night and they don't want to go with us. I'd like to suggest some place where they can have a nice, quiet, elegant dinner.

About them:
Both 79, love good food & wine, will try just about any cuisine (they are world travelers), and they like quiet. However, they need a place with a lot of soft food options like soups, etc. because my FIL has esophageal cancer.

If anyone has any suggestions, please bring them on. Thanks a bunch.

 

[Eeyore's Pal]

For a quiet elegant dinner, I would recommend Artist Point at Wilderness Lodge. You can check the menu here, but I think the chef would work with your FIL to give him the best combination that would work for him.

Another idea might be the dinner buffet at Cape May at Beach Club. It is not a boisterous setting like other buffets -- no characters at dinner. The wide selection of food would offer your FIL lots of choices. They always have two soups, pasta, mashed potatoes, mac & cheese. I'm sure there are fish and meat options that are somewhat soft too. We have asked the chef at this restaurant to accommodate a special diet on every trip, and always had a great experience.

Good luck with your choices and your trip. Sending P&PD for your FIL.

 

[Katy Belle]

I haven't been to the California Grill, but I've always thought of it as a "nice" restaurant, so maybe quieter. Its in the same resort as Chef Mickey, so that may be nice.

Good luck!
Katy

 

[Cowboysfan]

McDonalds in DTD.

or,

LeCellier

 

[Disney Ron]

We had a wonderful quiet meal at Yacht Club Galley. I am not sure if your FIL can find something on the menu, but I agree with the prior poster most location would be happy to accommodate special dietary needs.

Here is the menu: http://www.allears.net/menu/menu_ygd.htm
The halibut was delicious, service wonderful, and the most low key meal we enjoyed on our trip!

Mrs. Disney Ron

 

[MycatlovesEeyore]

Very adult atmosphere, excellent selelction of African wines, diverse menu. And as with all of Disney's finer restaurants, the chef will be glad to assist with any dietary needs/concerns.

 

[burberryplaid]

I think they'd love Jiko. They can pair their meal with some great African wines and I'm sure their dietary needs could be handled.

 

[disnut8]

I totally agree with the suggestion of the Yacht Club Galley. Very elegant without being over the top. Good service and not a crowded place at all. After dinner, they can walk around Crescent Lake for a nice evening. The Boardwalk is a bit loud but they might like the night time activities there. The rest of the walk is very quiet and romantic.

We went to the California Grill looking for a quiet time. We thought it was very loud since it was one large open area. Not exactly the relaxing time we were looking for. But your mileage will vary.

Grand Floridian Cafe is also a nice place for an elegant and quiet meal.

 

[ElizabethB]

One of my complaints about dining at Disney is that most all of the signature restaurants are just too, too noisy. We dined at Citrico's recently and the food was outstanding -- surprisingly so. But, the place was as noisy as can be. There is no music played in any WDW restaurant either. Sometimes, music can be a kind of white noise that actually helps, but someone at Disney must think it's a bad idea or they don't want to pay the royalties. Add to that the open kitchen concept and I sometimes want to simply run out of the restaurant with my hands over my ears.

For quiet dining, Artist Point and Yacht Club Galley are very good choices. Also, you can get some relief from the noise, usually, if you request the wine room at Jiko, Flying Fish or California Grill (although the last time we dined in the wine room at CG, the other two groups there were very loud families so even that isn't a sure thing). Narcoosee's is also sometimes tolerable. Grand Floridian Cafe can be somewhat quiet later in the evening.

One piece of advice -- book 8:30 p.m. or later. Earlier than that -- every place but V&A will be a zoo of children. Even at 9 p.m. we find there are tons of kids running around most places (and I'm talking about signature dining places, not character meals).

V&A is always quiet, but probably not a good choice given your FIL's dining limitations.

Bad choices, noise wise, are Le Cellier, Citrico's, Brown Derby, California Grill (excepting the wine room -- sometimes), Spoodles, Chefs de France, any buffet, any character meal (with Chef Mickey's being the absolute worst), any place with an open kitchen, and any theme park restaurant.

Unfortunately, for quiet, the WDW places are pretty limited. Someone in charge at WDW seems to think open kitchen noise + adult and child patron noise = festive. Sorry, it just equals noisy.

 

[A_NY_Outlaw]

I'd say probably Le Cellier or maybe Jiko. People on the boards tend to say that Brown Derby is usually one of the quieter places (or so I've read).

 

[Pakey]

Nobody mentioned one of the best places (except for V&A) which is Bistro de Paris (upstairs in France). This is an elegant dining restaurant, more so than any of the others. Since Dining Plan is not accepted here, it's generally very quiet. Definitely not a good choice for children. They do a wine pairing menu in addition to their regular menu which is usually fun.

CA Grill is way too noisy. I love the food and we go there but the noise does not bother us. If your in-laws do not want noise, this is probably not a good choice.

JIKO is quieter than most of the signatures on the DDP. Also Yachtsman Steakhouse is generally not as noisy as many of the others.

 

[Mackey Mouse]

Citrico's is always a favorite of ours...good food, wine and excellent service. I also like Yacht Club Galley for dinner and for breakfast, they do a decent breakfast buffet and you can also dine ala carte..

I do not care for loud restaurants......I also like Artist Pointe.. we had a delightful meal there last March..