Help with dining choices please :)

[hollyrose1313]

Yay! We just decided to head back to Disneyland after having a great visit this past winter.
I think we will do three table service meals over our 5 park days. We ate at Blue Bayou and Ariel's Grotto last time and would like to try something different.
This is my list of the places that look most appealing but would be open to other suggestions too:
Cafe Orleans
Carnation Cafe
Carthage Circle
Goofy's Kitchen
Trader Sam's (will go here for a drink at least)
Naples Ristorante
Ralph Brennan's
Tortilla Jo's

So if you were picking or recommending three what would you suggest?
Thanks!

 

[rentayenta]

Carnation Cafe for breakfast has become our new favorite. For some reason my kids looooove (19,17, and 15) Naples. The food and service are good, not great, aside from the calamari which is excellent. It's become an arrival night tradition for us. Trader Sam's is a MUST for drinks. My hubby loves RB's. None of us really like Tortilla Joe's. We haven't tried Carthay Circle before. People love Cafe Orleans but the menu aside from the pomme frites doesn't look wonderful to me.

 

[tzeitel]

The only 2 from your list that we have been to are Carthay Circle and Ralph Brennan's (we are doing Trader Sam's, Cafe Orleans, and Carnation Cafe later this month). I highly recommend both of them. Loved CC, the food was great and the restaurant is so nice. Felt like a real treat. RB was awesome too. We had a table outside and watched as Halloween party goers went by in their costumes. Everyone in our party (4 adults and 1 child) loved their food. Not to mention the beignets!

Just remembered we did go to Tortilla Joe's on our first trip a few years ago (wanna say 2010) and while the food was good, it was overpriced.

 

[Happyjenz]

I think if you enjoy the food at Blue Bayou, Cafe Orleans is a great choice. Pomme Frites with Gumbo make for a nice, yummy, fairly inexpensive lunch. And I may be in the minority, but I prefer Carnation Cafe for lunch, not breakfast Fried pickles and the Sourdough Bacon-Cheese Melt are delicious! Even though it's CS, I think a good value for breakfast is Rancho Del Zocalo...we really enjoyed it. We only eat in the park, so I can't give input on DTD.

 

[smartlabelprint]

Carnation cafe can be recommended.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

You might enjoy the CCR lounge. The lounge menu is fun, and since you won't need a reservation, you could be flexible about timing. GK is the only dinner character meal. That can be a very fun way to kick off your visit starting the evening of your arrival. Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen has live music in the evenings and a gospel brunch on Sundays. We prefer JK over Naple's.

 

[azdisneylover]

Carnation Café gets my vote too for lunch. Their fries are delicious.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Cafe Orleans is one my favorites. Lots of the seating is outdoors and great for people watching and soaking up the NOS atmosphere.

 

[tlovesdis]

These would be my three...

1. Cafe Orleans
2. Ralph Brennan's
3. Tortilla Jo's

 

[MikeRx]

My take:
Cafe Orleans we love the atmosphere and will be there Sunday night, but it's been awhile as Blue Bayou and other choices seems to win out. Happy to be going back.
Carnation Cafe. We go twice each trip for a "brunch" as we do the latest reservation possible to take advantage of the lower crowds early in the morning and then watch the crowds stroll in over a leisurely breakfast and listen to the Dapper Dans on Main Street. This is a "got to" for us!
Carthay Circle Had a miserable experience several years ago due to a rude table in a small crowded room so we've not been back. We prefer the alfresco dining of Wine Country Trattoria. We will go back but convincing my wife after the horrible evening has been tough!
Goofy's Kitchen our go to on our last morning when staying at the Disneyland Hotel, It can be very loud! We are at the Grand this trip so we are taking a walk over to the Pacific Coast Highway Grill at the PPH on the last morning.
Trader Sam's (will go here for a drink at least) my favorite spot in all of the DLR, stop in for at least one drink and enjoy the show...tends to fill up so try to go at an "off" time and hope for a seat inside
Naples Ristorante as a father and son with a real gluten allergy we dont set foot inside this one...sorry
Ralph Brennan's never been
Tortilla Jo's wife and son went in July and enjoyed it while i was stuck at a meeting. Son was able to get GF tortilla chips and tacos he was happy!

I'd also suggest Steakhouse 55 and Napa Rose. We love Napa Rose and do the Chef's Counter each trip as our special event. Our son goes to Pinocchio's Workshop for the evening has has a great time while we have a fantastic meal and wine. We will be bringing my mother in law for her 78th birthday this time. She will be surprised as she thinks she is watching our son! Steakhouse 55 is a nice relaxing evening with good quality food and a nice wine list. We've had several great evenings here and aren't typically "steakhouse" people as we are more likely to grill a steak at home and pull out a great bottle of wine from the cellar.

I hope this helps!

5 sleeps..
Mike

 

[disneyxica20]

carnation cafe is yummy! we love the fried pickles.
i've heard bad things about the tortilla jo's restaurant, which we've never been to, but we've eaten at the taqueria several times and we really like it.

 

[hollyrose1313]

Wow! Thanks for all the great feedback! We are such WDW vets but still DLR newbies (though if we keep this streak going of once a year we should be pros in no time).
We have decided lunch at Cafe Orleans for sure as it sounds like that is the across the board winner (plus I think we can get fries and two sandwiches among the three of us and save a little money).
Cathay Circle for lunch: sounds hit or miss but we want a DCA meal and are not that into pasta and want to try something new. I think we might just get the biscuits and a couple salads, grab some corn dogs later when we get hungry
Still deciding on our DTD meal but I am such a guacamole fiend I am leaning towards Tortilla Jo's but Naples is still in the running. DH vetoed RBJK when we decided on Cafe Orleans.
We did also decide to add the Minnie breakfast at the Plaza and I might grab a solo lunch at Carnation Cafe as DH has no interest but it sounds very good to me.
Oh and doing Goofy's Kitchen for dinner with pre-drinks at Trader Sam's.

 

[meggles]

Carthay is so good! Have a cocktail in the lounge while you wait for your table. You can totally get by with the biscuits, salads, or appetizers. It's all so yummy and fresh and and nice break from heavier theme park food.

 

[Indiana Scott]

I see you have Carnation Cafe on your list and while it's not as fancy or formal as some the others, it offers great food with some lighter, less expensive options with GREAT atmosphere and is a must do on every trip for us. It works well for lunch as well as dinner.
I'd also recommend The Plaza Inn for dinner (fried chicken - yum!) and Tortilla Jo's for a break from the noise of the park and a Margarita.

 

[Nevada Jen]

UVA for lunch outside in downtown Disney if it is nice. They have really good food. I actually think the best in the park if you are a foodie (although I am a huge Carthay Circle fan as well). At least I think it is UVA. THat thing right in the middle by Catal. It is always totally empty in there. I think it is because it is a little hard to figure out how to get seated. The hostess stand is outside. The place is a circle. Walk around outside the circle until you find an opening with a hostess stand.

 

[Rabb it]

Cafe Orleans: Love the gumbo, Monte Cristo, Pomme Frites, mmm! Go here more than any restaurant in the parks!

Carnation Café: Only been there once, the meatloaf was excellent!

Carthay Circle: Never been.

Goofy's Kitchen: Went there for breakfast once, it was a fun time, and they have a full spread of food, even pizza at breakfast

Trader Sam's (will go here for a drink at least): Obviously this is a must go for a drink and the atmosphere!

Naples Ristorante: Never been.

Ralph Brennan's: My favorite restaurant in DTD, the food is excellent, the music is awesome if you sit inside, and the balcony view is great if you're outside.

Tortilla Jo's: Been here a number of time with friends, great place, you have to get the guacamole cart if you go, it's to die for!