HS table service throwdown: Brown Derby or Sci-Fi Dine in?

[mroulier]

Just the 2 of us. My DW and I. We did 50's Prime time on our last trip and liked the experience, but the food was kinda forgettable. Is it the same at Sci-Fi? Also, what are everyone's go-to's at the Derby (aside from the Cobb salad)?? And I think we would do Sci-fi for lunch, OR the Derby for dinner, since it's seems like a lot of food to eat and then go ride some rides and walk around in the warm September afternoon sun...

 

[GAN]

If you want a cool experience with okay food ...go for SciFi. If you want a nice meal with your wife and maybe a grownup cocktail ...go with Brown Derby. They are both good for what they are -just two totally different experiences.

 

[Skippyboo]

Sci Fi is mainly burgers. You have the car seating and the campy movie scenes. I found the service to be a bit lacking. They don’t really keep up on the drink refills so I stop ordering soda and stick to water now.

I found the service much better at Brown Derby. I haven’t ordered anything other than the Cobb Salad. It’s excellent.

 

[mrsap]

I think it depends what kind of meal/experience you’re looking for. Sci-Fi is a themed restaurant. You will be sitting in a drive-in theater, in car seating, watching short black and white old Sci-Fi movie clips. We love Sci-fi for their hamburgers and the experience itself. It’s a must do for my kids every trip. If you would prefer something a little nicer, I would do Brown Derby. Their fillet mignon is pretty good. It’s a Signature restaurant where you will have a nice dining experience. Good luck deciding!

 

[Jangles]

There is also the option of the HBD lounge which has some lighter options.

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

Personally-while the service was impeccable and the food was well prepared: we found Brown Derby to be overhyped. We’d do it again if they ever bought back lunch with an imagineer or the lounge, but we much prefer Sci Fi even tho the food while food isn’t spectacular

 

[mroulier]

There is also the option of the HBD lounge which has some lighter options.

The Lounge is all outdoors, correct? We'll be seeking AC while we eat...

I think it depends what kind of meal/experience you’re looking for. Sci-Fi is a themed restaurant. You will be sitting in a drive-in theater, in car seating, watching short black and white old Sci-Fi movie clips. We love Sci-fi for their hamburgers and the experience itself. It’s a must do for my kids every trip. If you would prefer something a little nicer, I would do Brown Derby. Their fillet mignon is pretty good. It’s a Signature restaurant where you will have a nice dining experience. Good luck deciding!

That's kinda the conundrum. Do something you can ONLY get at Disney, or get an experience like you can get by going to Sardi's in NYC (which we've done!). My wife had to take a picture of the actual Kermit portrait from Muppets Take Manhattan at Sardi's, it was in the hallway on the way to the bathroom!

 

[CynBeth]

We did not find the food that great at Sci Fi but love Hollywood Brown Derby.
I only always get the Cobb Salad and grapefruit cake.

 

[wabbott]

Last October I found the Escargot Casino at the Hollywood Brown Derby to be delicious. Can't wait to try it again.

 

[kylenne]

Just the 2 of us. My DW and I. We did 50's Prime time on our last trip and liked the experience, but the food was kinda forgettable. Is it the same at Sci-Fi? Also, what are everyone's go-to's at the Derby (aside from the Cobb salad)?? And I think we would do Sci-fi for lunch, OR the Derby for dinner, since it's seems like a lot of food to eat and then go ride some rides and walk around in the warm September afternoon sun...

Still haven't tried the Brown Derby, but I found the food aggressively mediocre at Sci-Fi. That said, the theming and being able to sit in a dark, cool room with A/C was fantastic in August when it was surface of the sun hot.

 

[ZerasPride]

We are big Brown Derby fans! The food and ambience are so nice after all the jostling and crowds of a Hollywood Studios day. I miss when they used to have the ribbon cutting ceremony to open the restaurant. My friend and I were chosen once - it was so much fun!

Last year we enjoyed wonderful Cobb salads and a lovely shrimp mac&cheese dish. It is a must do for us every Hollywood Studio's trip. Sci-Fi was one and done for us. Nothing all that special.

 

[Eastern]

If you go to Sci Fi for lunch, I highly suggest splitting a burger. Get an app or dessert to share as well, if you think you will be hungry. It is a heavy meal for lunch, otherwise.

 

[loves to dive]

I'm a huge HBD fan but they change the menu a lot so it's hard to say, other than the Cobb Salad, what is good. They have even changed the way they serve the Cobb Salad, used to be you could get an appetizer or meal version and if you got the meal they mixed it at the table. Now the app. size is no longer available (nor is the lunch size at the lounge) and it's catch as catch can if they mix it there. It still tastes just as good. In the past we have had the steak (both hubby and son loved it) I've had a version of the Grilled Pork (it used to be medallions) a version of the duck, which might be the same and the chicken. I've always enjoyed anything I've had there. They used to have a hamburger with a fried egg on top that was messy as all get out but so good. The drinks are always good, always made by a real bartender. I'm a grapefruit cake fan but I think my son has had some of the other desserts and always enjoyed them. It is pricy and if you are on the floor and not up on one of the raised areas it can get loud and a little crowded. Most of the time I eat at the lounge now, but I'm from Georgia and the heat in Sept. doesn't bother me since they do have umbrellas to block the sun.

I've only eaten at Sci-Fi once, it was on a whim my son, DIL and I were walking by just before time for it to open and said why not, we are hungry. We got on a wait list and waited maybe 1/2 hour. Since we didn't have an ADR and were a party of 3 we were sat at the back at a table instead of the cars, which I actually liked. We had decent service not great but not the worst I've ever had at WDW (that is reserved for Sanaa), I loved the movie clips. My son and DIL got a beer, fried pickles, hamburgers and I think they split a hot fudge sundae. I was in a not too hungry mood so I had the plant based burger, which I think they have changed a bit, and I really enjoyed it. I'm not a regular plant based eater but do like to sort of lighten up my meals every once in awhile. I got a milkshake which was very good.

 

[SharonZ]

I love the food and the atmosphere at Brown Derby. I didn't care for the food or service at Sci-Fi, it was a one and done for me.

 

[SleeplessInTO]

Definitely Brown Derby.

If you need something to eat for lunch, I’d hop on the Skyliner and eat at Primo Piatto.

Willing to try the new Toy Story Land restaurant, reminds me of Regal Eagle (which I love, and it’s a tough field of competitors food wise at Epcot!). Hopefully it’ll be a great, much needed addition to HS for food.

 

[drenalin'junkie]

Derby has been hit or miss for us.
Sci fi isn't as pretentious so the food matches the experience.
We rotate between Mama's, BD, Sci fi and 50s regularly.

 

[holden]

Brow Derby. No question. Sci Fi is a novelty restaurant. Food, atmosphere and drinks at Brown Derby are better.

 

[jimmymc]

Brown Derby by a mile. The food is amazing, my favorite in-park food in all of WDW, and not outrageously priced considering your location. The theming of the restaurant is also pretty great, and the bar menu is one of the best on property. The martini and margarita flights are a surprisingly good deal, and they have a huge whiskey list. For favorites, the duck, braised short rib, and filet are all great entrees, and I'd probably get the bone marrow for an app (they sadly took away the scallop and pork belly appetizer, which was one of the best dishes I've ever had at Disney).

Sci-fi is fun for the theming, but the sandwiches are really disappointing in my opinion, to the point where I think you're better off stopping for subs at publix than making it a point to go there. The appetizers are pretty good. And now that I'm checking the menu, it seems like they have fewer sandwiches than before and more types of burgers, so maybe those will be better. But if you have kids who aren't good about sitting still in restaurants, I would definitely go there over Brown Derby.

 

[Dakota731]

We waited an hour WITH a reservation at SciFi last year, and then they tried to seat us at a table not a car. So then we had to wait another 30 min for a car to open up. By then everyone was cranky and hungry!

 

[Pyxie]

I've never had HBD, but I'd probably choose it if it were a lunch with just me and my husband.

However, I really do love Sci Fi and not just for the experience. I think the food is great too. I actually don't understand the hate it gets, but yeah I guess if you compare the food to a place like HBD, it's not gonna stand up. For theme park burgers though, I think they are very good. It's an actual freshly cooked patty and not the dry hockey pucks you get at a QS.