Mrs Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant

[dr&momto2boys]

Is this restaurant outside of the theme park? In other words do you have to have admission to eat there? I think the only reason I want to go to KBF is to eat there again! I think I'd rather spend another day at Disneyland instead. (I'm pregnant and can't ride many rides. My sons are 2 and 3 so I think there are other places they'd enjoy more.--It seems like their kids section isn't much different than a Six Flags.)

 

[Magix]

No admission required. It's outside the park gates. You may have to pay to park, but last thing I knew there was a lot near the shops/restaurants where you could get free parking for 2 hours or something like that.

 

[Tigger girl]

They also have to-go service. We have done this when it was really crowded and the line to get in was over an hour wait. Magix is right, there is free parking for a couple of hours.

 

[austinosphere]

Yeah we went during the end of August. As you enter the drive and pass the main entrance gates on your right, and you're heading towards parking, there's a parking lot on the left that's for short term parking. It's free for 3 hours (although if you park in the spaces marked "Restaurant" you're supposed to leave after 2 - but it's in the same parking lot).

We then went to the restaurant and waited that RIDICULOUS one hour wait.

Why do I say ridiculous? Because they have windows all along the side of the restaurant that you queue up against, and any given day you're going to see about half of the tables EMPTY.

So why do they force the wait? Is it to create the "It must be good there's a one hour line!" thing or what?

Honestly, I love Knotts Berry Farm because of some good memories from when I was really little. I collect Knotts Berry tickets and old menus.

BUT this trip, after not having gone to the restaurant for 10+ years, really opened my eyes. The chicken was OK. I mean, how bad can fried chicken be? It was ok.

The biscuits were good. But again - any warm biscuit had me at hello.

The real highlight was the Boysenberry pie, which is my absolute favorite and one of the reasons I love Knottsberry farm, since he really was instrumental in making this berry happen.

I'm sorry, but the service was no better than at a Dennys, the food much the same, and I honestly could NOT figure out why there was a one hour wait with so many empty tables. The line only held about 30 people in it! Why did it take so long to move!???

Cedarfair, I really resented it when people on the boards said that Knottsberry farm was dirty and had gone downhill. I was all about telling them they were being too harsh. But... my rose colored glasses are no more! This ISN'T just a regional theme park like your others. Pay it some special attention! It was the first theme park! Knotts Chicken Dinner is HUGE please don't kill it any further.

Do *something*! It's poorly decorated, slow, the food is ok but not really that big a deal.

Maybe it was a big deal back in 1939 but remember, that's before KFC! I think it's living off of the reputation from Mrs. Knotts and unfortunately she's been gone for a while.


/I'm sorry if I've seemed rather negative, it's just.... seriously who is going to be more negative, someone that had high expectations and WANTED it to be good, or someone that didn't think it would be good in the first place.

 

[scooter15]

My kids love Camp Snoopy more than DL because they can go on the rides themselves. Their ages are 2, 4 and 6. Regardless, we are local so the APs are worth it to bring the kids there during slow times.

Anyway as for CDR, we had a bad experience a few years back. We went back a few months ago and I was kinda hesitant to go but we went anyway. The dinner was great and our waitress was awesome. The kids loved the food and I was surprised it actually tasted better this time around. The wait does actually take that long during peak periods and if it seems like there are empty tables remember that it might be due to staffing. Waiters/Waitresses can only have so many tables. But the waitress we had really treated my kids well and it is a chore to bring them anywhere for a sit down dinner. Knott's Scary Farm is starting in a week or so and it is a busy time at Knott's. You didn't say when you were going but you might want to avoid October.

 

[disneylove69]

I agree. I went there for the first time in 15 years. The service was terrible!!! We opened the restaraunt and it took forever. Never saw the waitress after the first howdy. Saw the kitchen and it was dirty. The dining area reminded me of a bad school lunchroom.

 

[Chuck S]

Having grown up in So Cal, I remember Knott's before the park even charged for admission. The CDR, from what I remember has always had somewhat iffy service quality. Sometime the service was great, other times awful...just depends upon the luck of the draw.

The last time we were there was in 2001, in fact we were heading there for Breakfast on 9/11, but of course they closed. We had eaten there a few times earlier in the week, and the food was very good, but the service was still "iffy" varying from great to poor.

The park itself, since Cedarfair took over, is nothing like it used to be be. It used to have the "feel" of a regional park, with great history and older shows and attractions well blended with newer modern rides. Classics that I remembered from childhood, and state of the art thrillers. Cedarfair ruined that. Few classic rides remain, with a concentraction of thrills. Not nearly as friendly to multigenerational families.

Does anyone remember the Walter Knott Steakhouse? Their food was outstanding, but it wasn't as well known as the CDR.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

I remember the steakhouse - I loved the atmosphere & the food was really good. The last time we were there was for my son's 5th birthday, so it holds special memories for me.

 

[SSRJen]

I agree that the fried chicken is just okay, but the chicken pot pie is the best I have ever had. I make trips to the restaurant just for the chicken pot pie.mmmmm.

 

[dr&momto2boys]

I especally like the biscuits and preserves. I HATE bicuits. Never been a biscuit person. I LOVE their biscuits and the KBF preserves. Yum! I wish we had made it there on our trip. Some day my kids will be bigger and we'll want to go to KBF instead of Legoland and I'll eat there again!

By the way--they always have the biscuit mix and preserves packaged as gift sets available near Christmas time. (At Target, Walmart, where ever!) I even like the biscuits when we make them at home.

 

[cheshiregirl]

Does anybody know anything about the champagne brunch on Sundays? What makes it different from other times at CDR besides the obvious champagne?

 

[Colfireman]

I live for the biscuits and preserves. i plan on stocking up on my favorite boysenberry jam and syrup for the trip home. hopefully i can bring them back by the case load. Don't get down very often.

 

[Dizneydaz]

When we go if we want chicken we get it next door from the Chicken to go and eat outside. I just can't pay the $$ at the CDR and wait in that line. It's the same chicken, from the same kitchen.

My DD loved Camp Snoopy too when she was younger. One day she rode 26 rides (herself). She's off school Jan, May, and Sept. which are all good months to visit KBF. We had AP but I let them lapse in May. I'm thinking of getting them again. but not with the water park add-on. After doing the water parks at WDW I really don't like Soak City (especially the one in Palm Springs-what a joke!)

Now DD9 loves the coaster rides and still some of Camp Snoopy.