My Thoughts on Table Service Restaurants

[RocketEAR99]

2 Visits - Rating 2

On both visits to this place, I was with my aunt, uncle and 5-year-old cousin (at that time) and it was a character experience with the characters from "Little Einsteins". I can see this being a fun experience with little kids who were into that show, but otherwise I think there are better character breakfasts.

The food was standard for a Disney Breakfast buffet, so it was tasty. The restaurant was quite busy, but let's face it, it's otherwise just a buffet when it comes to the ambiance. So I highly doubt my chances of returning here, and I would recommend other character breakfast experiences before this one.

 

[RocketEAR99]

1 Visit - Rating 1

Here's my issues with this place. After being to so many other restaurants at WDW, I guess I got spoiled into dining on property because it somehow has a Disney touch involved. Hollywood & Vine is not one of those places. To me, it's just a buffet. Even the food here was just typical American buffet food. There is no real special ambiance, there wasn't any characters, it was just come in, eat, and leave.

Big deal. I could spend that much money at so many other better places on WDW property. Perhaps, I could spend my money anywhere on property and it would be better, but I acknowledge that I have only scratched the surface when it comes to WDW restaurants.

Certainly in DHS, you could do well to pick any other place to dine, probably even a Quick Service location.

 

[RocketEAR99]

2 Visits - Rating 5

There was little distinction between both of my visits to this Restaurant. Both times my party experienced great and friendly service and delicious food for breakfast! Since this restaurant is relatively open to the rest of the Polynesian Resort Lobby area (only being separated from it by a banister), the ambiance meshes well with the exquisite Polynesian theme.

On both visits, I ordered the greatly raved-about Tonga Toast. If you can afford the sugar intake that results from this banana stuffed sourdough bread coated in cinnamon sugar, I highly recommend ordering this entree. Your given a choice of using syrup with this or a strawberry sauce they provide. Personally, I recommend the latter. For me it was the proverbial "icing on the cake."

I now make a point of eating breakfast here every other trip to WDW.

 

[RocketEAR99]

1 Visit - Rating 4

The only thing that keeps this restaurant from reaching the 5 for me is that the high price keeps me from desiring to visit it more frequently. Otherwise, the service was Disney-standard (good). The ambiance was very pleasant to me. It truly had the feeling of dining in an elaborate wine cellar with the stone arches and the low-level lighting.

For dinner I enjoyed their Mushroom Filet Mignon which was very delicious. It was super pricey for me, but I was on dining plan and this was the year before they recently made dinner a signature meal. Otherwise I would not have paid $40 for what I got. Call me cheap, but $35 would've been my line. The only Filet to me that would've been worth more would be a bigger Filet. By taste it was superb, but if I'm going to dish out more cash, I would like a bit more food.

Overall, great food (best steak I've ever had so far ), great ambiance, good service. Perhaps I'll return some day with a Tables in Wonderland card.

 

[RocketEAR99]

1 Visit - Rating 4

This was a delightful dinner for me and my party. We did not get a chance to see Remy, but we were not there at the right time either. Some of my party who had been to France thought the ambiance was pretty good for looking like the average French restaurant. The service was very attentive to our table. And, of course, what makes it more special is that everyone working at the restaurant was native French (just as every pavilion employs people from the respective country).

I enjoyed an entree of Canard au miel, haricots vert et Polenta or Duck Breast and leg confit a l'orange, french green beans and polenta. The food was most delicious, especially the duck. It was very tender, moist and full of flavor. The creme brulee for dessert was also very good.

Once I visit more restaurants at the World Showcase, I hope to return to this place. I will probably get the duck again.

 

[Mommy Of 3]

I've eaten at alot of the table restaurants in WDW also, and I'm suprised at how Tony's gets bad reviews. I thought the food there was pretty good, and the atmsophere is pleasant.

The other place I LOVE is The Grand Floridian Cafe. Good food, excellent service and a really nice atmoshpere!

Chef Mickey's had good food, but it wasn't a peaceful meal with all the noise, characters and having to get up and walk a distance to the buffet.

I can honestly say the only place I HATED was Mama Melrose in DHS. That place was awful!! They wouldn't substitute any vegetable for another (I was told "We just don't do that"). The waitress was very rude. And the gnocci we ordered (for $19) had about 10 gnocci on the plate. Ridiculous. (And I'm one of those people who don't need huge portions to begin with). My chicken parm was one piece of chicken and was so dry and stringy I couldn't cut it with a knife. That place was AWFUL!

 

[RocketEAR99]

I've eaten at alot of the table restaurants in WDW also, and I'm suprised at how Tony's gets bad reviews. I thought the food there was pretty good, and the atmsophere is pleasant.

The other place I LOVE is The Grand Floridian Cafe. Good food, excellent service and a really nice atmoshpere!

Chef Mickey's had good food, but it wasn't a peaceful meal with all the noise, characters and having to get up and walk a distance to the buffet.

I can honestly say the only place I HATED was Mama Melrose in DHS. That place was awful!! They wouldn't substitute any vegetable for another (I was told "We just don't do that"). The waitress was very rude. And the gnocci we ordered (for $19) had about 10 gnocci on the plate. Ridiculous. (And I'm one of those people who don't need huge portions to begin with). My chicken parm was one piece of chicken and was so dry and stringy I couldn't cut it with a knife. That place was AWFUL!

The Grand Floridian Cafe and Mama Melrose are both on my list to eventually give a shot. I've heard good things about the former and nothing about the latter until now...I'll still give Mama Melrose a shot, but I don't expect it to trump Tony's. I do, however, expect Via Napoli and Tutto Italia in Epcot to trump Tony's. Thanks for your input on restaurants!

 

[RocketEAR99]

2 Visits - Rating 3

I have enjoyed the family style dinners at Disney World restaurants that I have been to thus far and this one is no exception, however it isn't the greatest option in that category either. In fact my second visit here was only because I couldn't get a table at 'Ohana. Still the food is reasonably good. My favorite was the Macaroni and Cheese. Mac n Cheese is still kind of my favorite food though.

The ambiance is that of a colonial tavern, and it is loud like one too with all the families that dine in the smaller space.

On both occasions my party experienced good and quick service that talked to us briefly and made it a pleasure to dine there. It's often fun to talk with cast members.

The bonus to this place, having nothing to do with my rating, is that if I'm touring MK, this is an ideal location to eat since it's fairly centrally located in the park.

 

[Belle5]

2 Visits - Rating 3

My favorite was the Macaroni and Cheese. Mac n Cheese is still kind of my favorite food though.

Good news for you. You can have the same mac and cheese right at home as LTT is sponsored by Stouffer's and serves their mac and cheese. (That is actually the food I like the least there as I feel like I am eating reheated frozen Stouffer's...) But, like you...some people actually like the mac and cheese there.

 

[RocketEAR99]

Good news for you. You can have the same mac and cheese right at home as LTT is sponsored by Stouffer's and serves their mac and cheese. (That is actually the food I like the least there as I feel like I am eating reheated frozen Stouffer's...) But, like you...some people actually like the mac and cheese there.

Yeah, I rarely complain about mac n cheese as long as it tastes like it and isn't watered down or the cheese doesn't even taste like cheese. Yes almost everything at LTT is Stouffer's and it becomes most apparent with the mac n cheese and stuffing.

 

[RocketEAR99]

4 Visits - Rating 5

There's no secret to why this place books up so fast. For anyone looking for all-you-care-to-eat family-style meals, this place is where to go! Of my 4 visits to this place there has been little variation in food and service.

The bread, salad, noodles, vegetables and such that lead up to the main course are pretty good, but I have to remember that it is the oak fire-grilled meats that are the best part. Chicken, Pork, Steak and Shrimp with dipping sauces that are all flavorful. I thoroughly enjoy that the steak is tender and juicy. I'm sure they've had off days with meats, but I haven't seen one in my 4 visits.

The only variation I have experienced with the food was the shrimp. It was good and spicy the first visit, then substandard the next visit, then good and spicy again the most recent 2 visits. But given all the other choices in food, one blemish in 4 visits was not enough to bring my rating down.

The ambiance is a continuance of the Polynesian style which is soothing to my eyes. And if you manage a table overlooking the lagoon to the Magic Kingdom, it is even better! I missed going here the trip before last and was happy to return. I'm having trouble letting go of it for my next trip. Due to my schedule, booking it would make for an inconvenient detour for dinner, but can I resist? We'll see.

 

[RocketEAR99]

3 Visits - Rating 4

I'll admit, if you're looking for top-notch food, this place is not going to satisfy you. It is average here. I got the shrimp pasta here twice. It was good enough to suit me, but I wouldn't recommend it for anyone. Others in my party enjoyed the ribs and the Reuben. Most recently, I ordered the All-American Picnic Burger. On the menu it looks like a strange combination for a burger, but it works! And Burgers are the specialty at this place. It wasn't the best burger ever, but it was very good. The bottom line is this, imagine you are going to a ball game or a drive-in and you're getting concessions there and that is the quality of food you'll have here which is fitting based upon the theme. Dessert made it more worth wile with the hot fudge sundae.

I have no complaints in regard to service here. On the first visit, our server even offered to take our picture when he found out it was our first time there.

The ambiance here is what gets the place it's high mark in my book. It truly felt like a restaurantized drive-in experience with the classic car tables and booths and the big screen showing clips from some of the cheesiest sci-fi movies ever made! It all makes for good old-fashioned entertainment and a few laughs. For the sci-fi fan, this place is a must try! My friend that I brought with me on my last visit enjoyed this restaurant second most to 'Ohana. It was right up his alley as he is a sci-fi guy and a burger guy too.

 

[stitchaholic]

Thank you for your reviews , short and sweet and a great place for anyone who hasn't been to the world to get a brief description of the restaurants .

Despite some DISser's coming down a little hard on you , I wish people realized we come on here to share our personal experiences , not to be judged for doing so whether we agree with your opinion or not .

 

[RocketEAR99]

Thank you for your reviews , short and sweet and a great place for anyone who hasn't been to the world to get a brief description of the restaurants .

Despite some DISser's coming down a little hard on you , I wish people realized we come on here to share our personal experiences , not to be judged for doing so whether we agree with your opinion or not .

Thank you! Everyone's entitled to their opinion. I realize mine tend to be more on the positive and optimistic side, that's why I made up a rating system. With me, there is basically one level of bad and several levels of good when it comes to food. I like to think there are others that are the same way, but even more so, I want to encourage people to check out these restaurants and form their own opinions. So if there's good to be found in a restaurant, I am determined to make note of it.

 

[RocketEAR99]

2 Visits - Rating 4

I realize this establishment is not owned by Disney, but rather by the same people who own the Rainforest Cafe, but as it is situated at Downtown Disney, I decided to make mention of it.

On both occasions my party was a walk-up and we were seated in around 20 minutes, granted neither time was peak season in regard to crowds. My first visit, I was in a party of 8. Our server was extremely attentive and just generally on the ball with everything. I ordered the Paleo Shrimp entree. While it was very tasty, I was disappointed at the portion size. I realized then that the high price I was paying was clearly for the ambiance since, for a pasta dish, it was about half the size I expected it to be.

The second visit, I was in a party of 2 and our server was somewhat attentive. About average service during the meal, but she took a good 10-15 minutes to get our check afterward and the restaurant wasn't very busy. That occasion I ordered the Triassic Tortellini and this time it was a generous portion and the alfredo sauce on it was very good.

The ambiance here was fantastic. The T-Rex just inside was quite intimidating at first (enough to give me minor flashbacks to the carnotaurus in DINOSAUR). The ice cave changing colors was cool and the periodic meteor showers were looked forward to throughout both visits.

 

[natfrac]

We ate at Mama Melrose's and thought it was fine. I usually gauge Italian food by my east coast raised, full-blooded Italian husband, and he liked both Mama Melrose's and Tony's.

Thanks for the objective reviews

 

[RocketEAR99]

2 Visit - Rating 4

The elaborate rustic decor of the Wilderness Lodge lobby flows into this nook where the restaurant sits. If you're from the countryside or a roughing it type of camper, this place may make you feel at home...in a Disney sort of way.

The servers here come to your table (or sit at your table if you have an empty chair like we did) and ask, "What can I get for ya?" The goal is down-home wilderness hospitality here and they do a good job at it. This is a place where when you ask for Ketchup, you may get 6 bottles from your neighboring tables after a loud announcement from your server that you need it. Our server was prompt on refills of anything we needed, including the bottomless milkshakes! Since we were seated at a table by the window, the host said, "Now if you look really hard out that window, and I mean you really take the time to look really hard, you might be able to see...some trees." It was a laugh out loud moment for all of us!

My entire party ordered the Canyon Skillet for breakfast which featured all-you-care-to-eat portions of a pretty much everything (eggs, sausage, bacon, waffles, biscuits, sausage gravy, and home fries). I also enjoyed the bottomless chocolate milkshake. It wasn't a super spectacular milkshake but it was thick and tasted pretty good. The food was breakfast standard (after all, usually breakfast is breakfast most places you go), but it's the back-woods demeanor that makes this place worth trying out.

Naturally if loudness and country-type service isn't your thing, then this would not be a place you'd want to visit.

 

[RocketEAR99]

1 Visit - Rating 3

This is the 4th location I have had breakfast at on property; the 2nd location with characters. This one, while ears above my Hollywood & Vine Character breakfast experience, still wasn't quite as enjoyed as my non-character breakfasts at Whispering Canyon Cafe and Kona Cafe. Still, it was worth the trip even though our party did not include any children. Around me, I did notice the children at other tables just having a blast throughout the whole experience and the characters spending adequate time with each in a full dining room.

The characters (Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, and Pluto) all stopped by our table during the second half of our time there. That worked out as it gave us a shot at getting some food in before meeting them. Our waitress was very good about making sure we had plenty of coffee and orange juice throughout the meal.

The food was quite good. My favorite portion of the buffet was where they had eggs, sausage and ham bits, chopped green pepper and onion and cheese sauces all at one section to put together a nice breakfast medley of sorts. Of course I also enjoyed the classic Mickey waffles too.

I think my next couple breakfasts on property will likely be revisits of my old favorites, so I don't anticipate being back here any time soon, but I could be easily talked into it. For a family with children looking for a really good character breakfast experience, this place would easily be at the top of my list.

 

[RocketEAR99]

1 Visit - Rating 4

I'm aware many will disagree with my higher rating of this place, but here's my breakdown of reasoning behind it.

First, let me point out that here you pay for the ambiance and it is one worth paying for at least once, especially if you're on dining plan. Granted, my party got some of the best seats in the house and didn't even request them. We were on the lowest level of the restaurant, at one of the booths facing the aquarium, not at one of the tables that is right next to it. This made for very pleasant viewing of the fish. The downside to this place is that the acoustics of the room allow for nearly everyone's voice to carry throughout, so if you're looking for something more quiet, this is not the place to go. Being seated where we were, I thought cut down on some of the reverberating volume ever so slightly.

I have nothing exceptional bad or good to report on the service other than that our server earned her 18% tip. She kept our glasses full and made some recommendations on the menu that proved worthwhile.

I had an appetizer of Caesar Salad, which was perfectly dressed, followed by an entree of Lobster Ravioli. Our server recommended the Mahi Mahi, which one other in my party enjoyed and said it was very good. The Lobster Ravioli was rich in flavor. The concept of Lobster Ravioli was new to me, but I have enjoyed many a good steamed lobster and lobster tail and this dish took that flavor and compounded it. At first, I did note a lighter portion size than I am used to at other restaurants, but by the time I finished the salad and the ravioli, I was perfectly satisfied. The desserts offered were tempting, but I passed.

So flavorful food, good service, and picturesque setting makes this place worth of a 4 based upon this visit.

 

[VrBchJ]

Thank you for your excellent reviews. They will help anyone who's looking for information and a considered opinion on picking a restaurant at WDW.