Less popular Disney Springs restaurants?

[PoppyJ]

Planning a last minute trip. These are the dining options available for our Disney Springs day. I don't see them mentioned much. Does anyone have any opinions on these restaurants?

City Works Eatery & Pour House
The Edison
Enzo's Hideaway
Maria & Enzo's Ristorante
Paradiso 37, Taste of the Americas
STK Steakhouse
Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill
Terralina Crafted Italian

 

[NYCgrrl]

I’ve eaten at Enzo’s, WP Bar and Grill and Maria + Enzo. All respectable and I’d have no qualms returning. Can’t say anything about the others but if you’d like to widen the reservation pool, log into Open Table’s website. They offer reservations at almost all DS eateries and generally have more availability than the WDW website.

 

[OKW Lover]

Thanks for asking this question - it's something I've pondered for a while. I suspect that these aren't mentioned often because they are ho hum. Not wonderful. Not horrible. Just nothing to make them memorable.

For example, you mention restaurants that specialize in Italian food, which is often a staple of the restaurant business. But at WDW, there are many other Italian food restaurants besides those at DS. To me, the best in that category is Il Mulino at the Swan. So I wouldn't consider one of the DS Italian restaurants.

 

[leebee]

We like City Works. It's big, has your basic pub/bar food offerings, but the food has been consistently good, and if you are beer drinkers, they have an incredible selection.

We did not have a good experience at Maria&Enzo's. We were placed in a side room and it was like the servers forgot we were there. There were 2 other parties in the same area. There really was no theming- it felt like being in a lounge or something- and the service was poor. We won't go back.

 

[Smugpugmug]

The only one of those I would say to avoid is Paradiso 37. Food and service are awful. Easily the worst dining experience I've had at WDW. There's a reason why it's always available reservation wise.

 

[zackiedawg]

City Works is pretty consistently good - it's not an 'atmosphere' type restaurant and nothing exotic - just bar/American food, but never had a bad meal there. It's someplace I often hit when I don't have any reservations as I can usually get in with a less than 15 minute wait. Burgers, nachos, tacos, fries, wings, etc. They've got good salads as well - I never bothered to try their main dishes like the pastas and steaks as that's not what I would go there for.

Enzo's Hideaway has always been good for me too - I've actually liked it better than Maria & Enzo's. Dark underground bar atmosphere, small and intimate feeling.

Terralina didn't impress - it wasn't 'bad' - it was just like any mainstream chain restaurant for me - Chilis, Olive Garden, etc.

Maria & Enzo's has been hit or miss - a few times I had good food and very good service, other times the foods were served luke warm and service was spotty.

I've done Edison twice for food - the first time the food was pretty poor - but I gave it another try and attempted to select dishes that they can't mess up too bad - it was mediocre the second time - so I've given up on it for food. The atmosphere, the bars, and the show aspect are all fun.

Paradiso is average chain restaurant level food - some dishes are OK, others not so much...most times I've eaten there, I've just sat on the outside tables people watching with a tropical bar drink and some appetizers like quesadillas. I wouldn't make any plans to go there as a sit-down restaurant choice.

STK just isn't in my wheelhouse - very noisy, loud music, and steaks don't go together - and with so many other decent steakhouses around Disney I just have no draw to go there. I've heard some mention it was a decent bargain for happy hour and lunch, but for me, it's just a no for dinner.

And for as long as it's been there, I've never tried Wolfgang Puck's.

Personally, I'd also consider hitting up some other places - I'm surprised there weren't reservations at other places that are almost always available even last minute for me - House of Blues, Frontera Cocina, Raglan Road - those are usually available even same-day, and I enjoy all three better than everything else you listed. You most likely could even do walkup at HOB and Frontera and get in with a short wait unless you're there during a holiday.

The other option is to just hit up the bars that also serve food or the non-table serve spots - you can score pretty good food at places like Jock Lindsay, Polite Pig, Morimoto street food, among others.

 

[BrianL]

The only one of those I would say to avoid is Paradiso 37. Food and service are awful. Easily the worst dining experience I've had at WDW. There's a reason why it's always available reservation wise.

Yeah, I ate there once - food was decent, but it took forever! When I say the food was decent, I can't really remember what I even had. It was certainly fine - like average chain restaurant stuff - but entirely unmemorable. It wasn't worth the time it took nor the price though.

 

[Chirple]

We've been to City Works twice, and we liked it there for the casual atmosphere and food (not beer drinkers). I would definitely go again.

We dined at The Edison once because my husband's co-worker raved about it. Did not enjoy it. I thought the food was too greasy.

 

[NickC]

I've eaten at a few:

The Edison: I don't remember what we had. That usually happens to us when the food is neither great nor horrible. So, it's a safe choice, but not super exciting.

Enzo's Hideaway: The meatballs were good. Nice and loose. Not packed tight with a lot of filler. The only thing missing was the raisins (I know, it's weird, but it's popular in Calabria). My son got a pasta dish that was also great. The theming is cool too.

Paradiso 37, Taste of the Americas: We had appetizers here. It seems a bit chain-like. I'm not sure I would pick it over other places.

I would suggest Polite Pig. You order at the counter and seat yourself. It's my favorite restaurant in WDW and they have a nice bourbon menu. (Though the Pappys is like 3x the cost of what it used to be).

 

[Mle8308]

The only one of those I would say to avoid is Paradiso 37. Food and service are awful. Easily the worst dining experience I've had at WDW. There's a reason why it's always available reservation wise.

Agree, I've not heard anything good about this restaurant. And because of the feedback, I have avoided it, so I cannot give first hand information. But because there are so many other choices, if I hear a lot of negative opinions about a restaurant at Disney, I don't go.