ISO in-depth Brown Derby reviews

[Bay in TN]

I need some down-and-dirty, detailed, excessively wordy Brown Derby reviews. I've conducted many, many searches in the "search" feature, but the most detailed review I've found yet was not very long. (But it was a great review with lots to think about in it.)

Here's the thing: I already made our ADR's for our Sept/Oct trip, and I thought I was good to go until I started really thinking about it. We're not on the DDP; we got a very good deal on our resort room, our park admission isn't a concern, and you can't get the DDP without buying a package.

Nonetheless, the free DDP in September is having a hefty impact on our dining plans.

Anyway, I was reviewing our ADR's and plans, and the commensurate costs thereof, and I realized -- "Hey, maybe I should get a Fantasmic Dinner package instead of just eating at Mama Melrose's on that next-to-last night."

I called Disney Dining, and the Mama Melrose Fantasmic Dinner Packages were all sold out. (Thanks, DDP.) My estimate for a regular dinner -- without Fantasmic -- at Mama Melrose's is only $15 away from the cost of a Brown Derby Fantasmic Dinner Package. Oh! Fifteen bucks isn't that much! And the Brown Derby has such a great reputation, and we wouldn't have to stand in line for a long time for Fantasmic -- that sounds cool!

(The last time we saw Fantasmic, we waited so long before the show started that my Type-I-diabetic husband's blood sugar dropped drastically, and I had to knock over little old ladies to get him some juice and a pretzel so he wouldn't turn into a raving lunatic there in the amphitheatre. Hmph.)

And I just want long, detailed reviews because... well, I like detailed reviews, and I want to justify that extra $15 or so. (Even though, honestly, my DH had hardly heard any of my arguments for the package before he said, "Oh, yeah. Brown Derby! Sounds cool! Book it." He's a giver.) DH and I never really considered the Brown Derby before because our kids were picky eaters. And they were young. Now they're older, and I just think they can deal with it better if we take them to a "nice" restaurant every once in a while during our WDW vacation. (They handled California Grill with aplomb, after all!)

If you posted a long review of the Brown Derby and I just haven't found it, could you please point me in the right direction?

If you simply have long, verbose, rambling and rhapsodizing opinions about the Brown Derby, I'd be delighted to read every word.

If you think I'm making a monstrous mistake, please be candid and kind. I do value the opinions I read here! I just don't want to get whomped over the head with, "You're in idjit." I know I'm an idjit. I don't need a reminder.



Just as a point of reference, our favorite restaurants in WDW are the California Grill, Tony's Town Square, and the Rose & Crown. (I know! Very different experiences! But we love them.) In contrast, we were excruciatingly disappointed in Teppanyaki, Flying Fish, and Le Cellier. Our children will be 14 and 18 by the time we go to the Brown Derby, and we really consider ourselves "foodies," although I still don't like Emeril. (He's a little heavyhanded with the salt for my taste.)

Any advice y'all can give would be greatly appreciated! Thank you in advance!



--Bay

 

[oogieboogie]

We tried HBD for lunch and I thought the food was good. DH thought it was great. He got the steak which was excellent according to him... cooked perfectly and the mashed potatoes were nice and smooth (he hates lumpy mash). I go the Thai Noodle Bowl which was excellent in taste, however they overcooked the noodles a tad, so it was a bit mushy.

Service was excellent, and because we went during early lunch (right when they opened), it wasn't crowded at all.

I would recommend HBD, definitely.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Can't help with a recent review, but just be aware that with the Fantasmic Package, you may wind up having "dinner" at the BD around 3:30 or so. We're going at almost that same time in Sept and when I went to book the fantasmic Package at BD, 3:20 was the ONLY dinner time I could get. So we just decided to get "normal" reservations at BD and now we're eating at a more reasonable 5:30!!
Just to add that we've done BD at least 6 times before-it's a fine restaurant!!!

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

Hi there! We went to the HBD and did the FDP last year, and we enjoyed it so much we are doing it again this year. Here is my review...

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=937939

I wish I could remember what time or ADR was. I do remember I had to make a very early one, but then I learned on these boards that about 1 month prior they open up later times, so I do remember calling back and taking a later time. I like to have a little breathing room in between the show and dinner anyway, plus, I usually request a booth when I check in at the restaurant and I tell them I do not mind waiting.

This year my ADR is for 4:30, but by the time I sit down and then have a cocktail or two, it will be 5:30 before we start dining.

Hope this helps! We really enjoyed this restaurant!

 

[jjpenguin]

We did lunch at the BD in May. It was kind of ruined for me as our server was definitely not having her best day. The atmosphere is nice, quiet and relaxed.
The food is good but not up to par with other signature restaurants IMHO

 

[kathymc]

While not excessiviely wordy - I can tell you about our lunch at Brown Derby from our last trip

Our lunch was really good – one of the best meals of the week. None of us thought we were really hungry for lunch but so glad we still decided to go. The restaurant is really pretty and quite a relaxing place to get out of the heat and craziness of the parks. My mom and I started with the caramel appletini – this was sooooo yummy – my favorite martini ever! All the guys got a drink or a beer. My Father in law and I got the cobb salad, it was really good and large but a little different than what we are used to (all chopped up). My mom and DH got the New York Strip Steak, DH’s was a little tough but both said it was good. My Dad got the salmon that he said was fantastic. We were full but not stuffed but everyone said no to dessert. Everyone really enjoyed their meal and we will definately be back.

 

[Bay in TN]

Thank you to everyone who responded. I feel much reassured, and I hope I'll be able to add a detailed review of the Brown Derby after our trip.

Thanks especially to those who warned about the insanely early dining times for the Brown Derby Fantasmic Pkg -- I had already run into that when calling Disney Dining, but I made note of the helpful advice! I've set myself a few reminders to start calling again about a month before our trip in hopes of getting a more dinner-like ADR time slot.

Fingers crossed! I've been dying to try the grapefruit cake for at least six years!!!!!

--Bay

 

[K and K's Mommy]

We just ate at Brown Derby last week and enjoyed it. I have not done my dinner reviews yet, but once I do, I think my DH took a couple of pictures of our food. We had the tuna and grouper, both very good!

 

[Mackey Mouse]

I was there in March and it was terrific as always........I wonder if I can find the review I wrote quite a while back and yet I would say the same things again.. I think the service is terrific, food is consistently good, and the ambiance is truly special. I have never had a bad meal there and I cannot say that about all the restaurants in WDW.

Good luck with your decision...Sorry went to look for my review, but it seems it is no longer available.....hope my short review suffices.

 

[Mom2R&D]

Our family ate there last Monday and it was by far one of the best meals we've ever had on Disney property. We had a Fantasmic Dinner Package booked for 6:20PM, arrived at around 6PM to check in and were seated before our ADR time. Our server (I believe her name was Janet) was SUPERB.

For appetizers, DH had the Mesclun salad, I had the Sake Laced Crab Cake and both DS's had Chicken Noodle Soup. Everything was fabulous, I loved the crab cake.

For entreés, DH had the Filet, I had the Grouper and I think my DS's had...I can't remember. I tried DH's filet and it was delicious but I think my grouper was twice as good.

For dessert, DH had the White Macadamia Nut/Praline Cheesecake, I had the Grapefruit Cake and the boys had the Ice Cream/Chocolate Chip Cookie/Oreo Cookie Crumb kids' dessert. I thought the Grapefruit Cake was good but DH's cheesecake was much...much...MUCH better.

I have to add that they provided my 10 year old "adult" the children's menu for which I was grateful.

DH and I decided that we would book the Fantasmic Dinner Package again but forgo Fantasmic! I think we came out ahead in the long run. I can't wait to go back!

 

[Spoodleink]

I love the brown derby and am always surprised I don't see more on here about it. I have been twice in 2003 and last year for free dining. we nhad great service both times in 2003 we were there for lunch and the place was empty. I had the seared tuna both times it think and DBF had steak both times ? but i am not sure but everything ws great both times