I've never eaten at these WDW restaurants

[UKDEB]

OK, I got to thinking about this and I've surprised myself at how many place we've never tried. I think we need to start adding in a couple per trip alongside our favourites, so give me your mini-reviews. We're now child-free and appreciate fine dining, btw.

Artist's Palette (not Artist Point, where we have eaten)
Biergarten
Bistro de Paris (not Chefs de France, where we have eaten). This one's pencilled in for October.
Boatwright's
Cap'n Jack's
Chef Mickey's
Concourse Steakhouse
Fresh
Garden View Lounge
Gullivers
Hollywood & Vine
Hoop Dee Doo
Kimonos
Maya Grill
Narcoossee's (this one's been on the 'to do' list forever and we probably will make it there this time)
Nine Dragons
1900 Park Fare
'Ohana
Olivia's Cafe
Palio
Portobello Yacht Club
Restaurant Akershus
Restaurant Marrakesh
Rose & Crown
San Angel Inn
Sand Trap Bar and Grill
Sassagoula Floatworks
Shutters
Spirit of Aloha Polynesian Luau
Tempura Kiku
Teppanyaki
Wolfgang Puck's Upstairs Dining Room (we have eaten at the Cafe)
Yacht Club Galley
Yachtsman Steakhouse

 

[Miffy2003]

Debbie

This looks like a thread I will enjoy
I will be back later to give it my full attention as I have eaten at a few of the above; my list of not - yet -eaten will be longer than yours though I suspect!

 

[Disney owl]

haven't eaten at many as we stay off site & tend to eat our evening meal off-site after we've left the parks. Also travel with teenagers so that influences our choices too!

Hollywood & Vine
Ate here on the Fantasmic package. This was our 2nd choice as we couldn't get in at Mama Melrose. Loved it great buffett & would choose it again. But not fine dining more suited to families than couples I'd say.

1900 Park Fayre
Best character breakfast we've been to . Our kids loved the omlette station where they are cooked to order for you. All the food was fantastic. Also a chance to look around the Grand Floridian. More peaceful & calm than some buffets.

Hope these may be of some little help

 

[Kevin Stringer]

tsk, tsk Deb, you have been neglecting your Disney dining duties.

Must try harder.

Kev

 

[Kevin Stringer]

I suppose rather than taking the Mickey (Mouse that is) I ought to really try to add something constructive.

We've eaten at 16 of the restaurants on your list. I think that a lot of Disney restaurants are similar in the standard of food, especially in the parks, but you go there for the theming and the experience as much as anything. The resorts tend to have the finer restaurants.

We really must go to 'Ohana in October. Again, the food is not the main reason for dining here (although I've always found it reasonably good) I just like the relaxing Polynesian atmosphere.

Biergarten - Not my favourite food, but the German village square setting is fun. I can just see Matt dancing to the oompah band!

Cap'n Jack's - great for a beer and snacks. Not really an out and out restaurant, more of a place to enjoy a beer on a hot afternoon.

Garden View Lounge - not done this for a while. I think the menu has changed since the last time we were there. We did it on a really wet day and enjoyed getting in the dry and sitting for a while. The food was ok. The view of The Land is fun.

Gullivers - again many years since we did this. A big, open restaurant. It was nice without being fantastic.

Nine Dragons - a much maligned restaurant that we enjoyed thoroughly for a late lunch. I suppose I'm not a real expert on Chinese food so am not the best to ask, but it seemed very nice to me. I think with some restaurants it just depends on the mood your in when you enter. If you don't expect much you can be pleasantly surprised.

Restaurant Akershus - enjoyed this a lot. It used to be really good value, I don't know if it still is. Lot's of cold fish and some hot dishes.

Restaurant Marrakesh - nice belly dancer! Food was not great, but yet again it's some time since we ate there.

Rose and Crown - another place you go for the atmosphere and location rather than the food.

San Angel Inn - definitely falls into the 'atmospheric' category. The food was not entirely to my taste, but the setiing is very nice.

Teppanyaki - lot's of battered, fried food! Very nice for a while but it got a bit too greasy for me after a while. Fun sitting at the counter to dine.

I've left a few out and I'm sure lots of people will have a completely different view to mine.


Kev

 

[scojos]

[

Restaurant Marrakesh - nice belly dancer!.

Kev[/QUOTE]

so thats why dh wants to go
tracy

 

[scojos]

h and v nice, did fantasmic package

chef mickey fab

short and sweet from me!!!

 

[Amyrlin]

Chef Mickey's
Great fun to see the characters and good food, great rib of beef.

Concourse Steakhouse
Good steak and often over looked, only thing is it is next door to Chef Mickeys so the noise can carry.

Hollywood & Vine
I have never been impressed by this, it is a standard buffet, but not as much choice as Crystal Palace or Chef Mickey’s etc. Nothing wring with it, just not as good.

Narcoossee's
We did this as a last night special meal last time and were very very disappointed. It must trade on its location as the food was very poor. The menu was basically a bog standard steak and seafood restaurant. When we ate there the chowder was undercooked (almost raw veggies), the steak was over cooked, the service was appalling and when we got the bill it was very wrong and the waiter behaved as if it were such a pain that he had to change it, which took more than a quarter of an hour. There have been some better reviews on the restaurant thread recently.

Nine Dragons
Very good food, nice surroundings, the only thing here is that as a couple the tables for two are quiet close together.

'Ohana
This is a great restaurant, not top standard but it is a family style meal and the food is good, the atmpshere is good and if you time it right you can get a good view of wishes.

Rose & Crown
Very disappointing, just like cheap microwave pub grub, will never go to again.

Spirit of Aloha Polynesian Luau
If you have not doe a Luau before this is a good show, the story line is a bit corny, but the entertainment is good. The food is OK, quiet edible, but they are feeding a lot of people with the same food at the same time. We enjoyed it.

Teppanyaki
Good food, but if you are eating off site then Kobe maybe better.

 

[wilma-bride]

1900 Park Fayre

This was the first ever place we ate at on Disney property. We had a character breakfast here. To be honest, I suspect because we were 2 adults dining, alone the characters tended to approach us, have a photo if we wanted and then leave again, although I'm sure they would have stayed around longer had we encouraged them. The food was fantastic. Typical American-style buffet but a cut above your Ponderosa/Sizzler brekkie. There was an omelette station, making freshly prepared omelettes to order, which were lovely. A massive choice of hot food, pastries, fruit and cereals. And all in the wonderful setting of the Grand Floridian, which took our breath away (bearing in mind it was the first WDW hotel we had ever seen )

 

[Miffy2003]

Artist's Palette
Nice flatbreads, but in essence just a food court albeit quite a pleasant, airy and attractive one. I wouldn't make a special trip here, but if you were in the area it is OK for a quick bite.

Chef Mickey's
I do love Chef Mickey's, but as time goes on I seem to like the buffet style meals less and less. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't come here for a few years unless DDs insisted (and they do, they do ) It is noisy and a bit chaotic (this may be good or bad depending on your preference!) with a good choice of food.

Fresh
We went here for breakfast and although it was a nice meal, with a lot of choice, I couldn't really find anything to rave about. The omlettes they made to order were a nice touch but other than that, it was no better or worse than other breakfast buffets I have been to.

Hollywood & Vine
I enjoyed the food here and thought there was a really good choice; I haven't been for four years though!

Nine Dragons
We were pleasantly surprised by this! I don't know if it qualifies as fine Chinese cooking, but the decor, food and service were great. It was also very refreshing to have a meal with rice rather than potatoes of some form I would return definitely.

'Ohana
Great fun! Really enjoyable atmosphere for families (and possibly adults, but we dined as a family!) with my DDs particularly enjoying the games and the "show" of the fire etc. Lovely cocktails The food was pretty much what you would expect from the menu, well prepared and quirky which made a great change. To be honest the setting is what makes the meal.

Olivia's
We had a really nice meal here! I forget exactly what we ate but it was fish / seafood and was rather lovely; beautifully cooked and presented and extremely fresh. The atmosphere is very casual and laidback ( a bit like OKW itself) and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Restaurant Marrakesh
Absolutely beautifully ornate restaurant which seemed very "authentic" (not that I have been to Morocco ) and the belly dancer was a fun touch. The food was absolutely dreadful and the service not much better. We have a Moroccan restaurant in Exeter and eat a lot of that style of food and were expecting to love it here - perhaps my expectations were too high, but what we were served tasted and looked like it had been prepared hours earlier and sat on a hot plate since then. I would have asked the server to change them but we never really came across him I am sure we were just unlucky but I would not return due to the many other WDW restaurants I have yet to try.

Rose and Crown
I was expecting this to be quite average but it was much better than I had heard. It was what I would call your typical "pub grub", not haute cuisine, but what they cooked they cooked well. Having said that I was in a large group of people and had consumed a few lunchtime cocktails so most things would have pleased me

I think what Kev says about expectations is dead right. A couple of my most disappointing meals have been ones I had great hopes for and vice versa. Though thinking about it, there have been ones I have really looked forward to and then had a fabulous meal at so maybe I'm talking a load of old tosh

Sorry, I have waffled on for ages

Looking forward to seeing what others think

 

[Frances999]

Bistro de Paris
Our favourite Epcot restaurant. Beautiful Foie Gras, wonderful setting and exceptional service. Somebody else described it on another thread as "V&A at half the cost" and I totally agree. The food is comparable, and the service is too. There are great views of Illuminations and the decor is nice.

Narcoossee's
Our favourite restaurant at the GF when it is just DH and I. Our children prefer Citrico's for the themed desserts. Narcoossee's has some great seafood appetizers and some of the best soups I have ever tried. We always get a lobster tail side regardless of which entree we choose - they are truly delicious! In all, great food, good (not perfect) service and nice location/views.

1900 Park Fare
We've only done the breakfast here. After the character breakfast at 'Ohana, it's probably our second favourite. We're not really fans of buffets (which is why we prefer the character breakfast at 'Ohana) but as buffets go, this one had a nice selection/spread and the food was very fresh and frequently replaced. We will probably visit again.

'Ohana
We love it here - it's all about the atmosphere. In the evening at 'Ohana we can totally unwind and relax with one of the delicious speciality cocktails in an informal setting. The food is plentiful and delicious. It's not fine dining, but the skewer meats are beautifully cooked on the open fire pit. Our children love the atmosphere and games (and noise!). We always make a stop here for the character breakfast too. I like how it's served family style and we have had the most wonderful servers here, so hilarious with the characters and great with the children. Don't go expecting Michelin award-winning food and you will have a great time.

San Angel Inn
Another restaurant which is all about the atmosphere. We liked the theming, but the tables were very close together and it was very noisy. The food was okay, but nothing to rave about and definitely overpriced. I used to be a huge fan of San Angel Inn on our first trip, but subsequent trips really haven't been very impressive. I don't think we will hurry back.

Spirit of Aloha Luau
Quite probably our worst ever Disney experience. Bring back the old Polynesian luau! The food was disgusting - we barely touched it. It's served on horrible metal serving "plates" and was clearly batch cooked with little flavour (the pineapple bread was dry and tasteless). Dessert was no better (chocolate mousse). It's not even worth it for the show - which is awful. We had a dreaful time and it was a pure waste of almost $200. We certainly won't return.

Yachtsman Steakhouse
Another restaurant we didn't enjoy. Extremely expensive considering the quality of the food and mediocre service. Also, as steak is supposed to be their "speciality" it was very poor. My salad had seen better days - I could not believe it when they brought it out - it was dry and starting to colour (!). I requested a replacement and although it looked better it was still tasteless.


I've enjoyed reading the reviews so far, and looking forward to reading more!

 

[paulh]

Deb why not try the dinning plan so you can eat at most of the places?
Paulh

 

[Laurajean1014]

I have not eaten at these restaurants

Atist's Palette
Artist Point,
Bistro de Paris (not Chefs de France, where we have eaten).
Boatwright's
Cap'n Jack's
Concourse Steakhouse
Crystal Palace
Fresh
Fultons' Crab House
Garden View Lounge
Gullivers
Kimono
Liberty Tavern
Palio
Restaurant Akershus
Restaurant Marrakesh
Sand Trap Bar and Grill
Sassagoula Floatworks
Shutters

 

[Laurajean1014]

OK, my rating of the following:
* Don't bother going
** Maybe go back to give another try
*** Good
****Very Good
*****Outstanding

Biergarten **
Boatwright's**
Chef Mickey's *
Hollywood & Vine **
Hoop Dee Doo ***
Narcoossee's **
Nine Dragons **
1900 Park Fare ****
'Ohana ****
Olivia's Cafe ****
Portobello Yacht Club **
Rose & Crown **
San Angel Inn ****
Shutters ***
Spirit of Aloha Polynesian Luau *
Tempura Kiku ***
Teppanyaki ***
Wolfgang Puck's Upstairs Dining Room ** (we prefer the Cafe)
Yacht Club Galley **
Yachtsman Steakhouse ***

 

[steve_rob]

Rose & Crown
Very disappointing, just like cheap microwave pub grub, will never go to again.

Just like most British pub chain restaurants then! Disney obviously did their research making sure the UK pavillion was accurate!

 

[Hilary]

That is a surprisingly long list for you, Deb!

Of the ones you mention, we've been to the following, but some of them were a few years ago and may have changed anyway by now:

Artist's Palette I agree with Karen - ok if you happen to be there, but not worth noting otherwise.
Biergarten Lots of atmosphere if you're feeling sociable. Heavy-on-the-meat buffet.
Boatwright's We felt this was overpriced for a reasonable meal, but definitely nothing special when we were there.
Cap'n Jack's Only had lunch here - good food, nice waterfront setting
Chef Mickey's Loud and lively, excellent buffet breakfast. haven't tried it for dinner.
Hollywood & Vine One of our favourites for a buffet, although I'm pretty sure it's changed since we were there
Nine Dragons Nice food, shame about the service when we visited. We felt hurried, especially when our server told us the desserts weren't worth staying for!
Olivia's Cafe Good food, great service, attractive setting
Restaurant Akershus Disappointing when we visited, but we'll probably try it again one day
Restaurant Marrakesh Worth a visit, and Matt will enjoy the entertainment
Rose & Crown We felt this was very disappointing and one of our worst full service WDW meals
San Angel Inn Lovely setting (althoug a bit too dark in places), not much choice if you don't want spicy food.

As Kev says, between us all here, we'll probably end up giving you a complete range of opinions for the same places!

 

[Fiona R]

I like Laura Jean's star rating

OK, my rating of the following:
* Don't bother going
** Maybe go back to give another try
*** Good
****Very Good
*****Outstanding

My stars include value for money in the rating too!! ie good food relatively inexpensively (for Disney!) is as important as fine dining at astronomical prices!! Atmosphere rates highly too.

Biergarten *** (good value, atmosphere and entertainment)
Boatwright's ** (enjoyed our meal when staying at POR..probably wouldn't go otherwise)
Maya Grill ** (same as Boatwrights, we were staying at CS)
1900 Park Fare **** (breakfast, we went at 11pm on our final day as a brunch, the place was empty and the characters were rushing off but the food was good, would go back when other people were there!!)
'Ohana **** Would get another star if it wasn't so meaty, pineapple to die for!!!! Lovely setting.
Restaurant Akershus **** superb value, but I think the set up has changed now.
Restaurant Marrakesh ** Food very bland, surroundings and atmosphere lovely

My "to do" list is a mile long, don't know where to start!!

 

[mikki.young]

Ok, eaten at many of these. Comments on the ones that impressed / depressed

Artist's Palette (not Artist Point, where we have eaten) An upper class food court
Biergarten Not our scene at all food or music wise
Bistro de Paris (not Chefs de France, where we have eaten). This one's pencilled in for October. Excellent food and increddibly expensive wine.
Boatwright's really not bad at all - fun food
Cap'n Jack's - fantastic for lunch but can get a bit busy in the evening
Chef Mickey's Fun, especially if celebrating. Breakfast the best meal in my view.
Concourse Steakhouse An underated venue with good food and generally good serversNine Dragons Very variable but the last couple of times pretty good with an all you can eat option and tasty dishes
Olivia's Cafe - good for all meals - Ocie may not be there any longer but her breakfast hash lives on
PalioExpensive but good
Portobello Yacht Club Consistently good but pricy
Rose & CrownIf you are from the UK then why bother?
Wolfgang Puck's Upstairs Dining Room (we have eaten at the Cafe) Yummy but again very pricy
Yachtsman SteakhouseGreat steaks but large portions and a pricy place

 

[AndRu]

Apart from Pizza Planet at MGM and the Harbour restuarant near the paddle steamer in MK and the RFC's at AK and DTD, I don't think we've eaten in any other Disney restaurants in three visits. We're certainly not planning on visiting any when we go back next year.

Call me a heathen if you will but I just can't see the fascination with spending XXX amount just because it's a themed Disney restaurant when you can buy just as nice food outside the parks for a lot less. I certainly find it strange to see other booking restaurant sittings months in advance - I haven't got a clue what I'm having for breakfast tomorrow let alone what restautant I'll be in 6 months from now!

Ah well, each to his / her own.

 

[Hilary]

Call me a heathen if you will

You're a heathen, AndRu!

... but heathens are just as entitled to opinions as anyone else, and it's nice to hear how other people manage their dining (or not)