Name your top 5 signatures...

Ms.Mouseketeer

Mouseketeer
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Jan 8, 2017
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looking to eat at a different signature restaurant each night on my next trip and would like some opinions...

Name your top 5 and why. Bonus points for pics.:wizard: Thanks :thumbsup2
 
I've tried several but only would recommend Artist Point and Jiko, as I wasn't so crazy about the others. Most of my favorite WDW restaurants are not signatures. That being said, I plan to try Tiffin's for the first time on my next trip.

Artist Point has good views out the window and I was able to see the geyser! Service there was first rate. Food was also great at Jiko.
 
We liked California Grill - went later at night and had an excellent view of the fireworks while dining; food and service were also excellent.
 
Yachtsman Steakhouse. Was probably one of the best steaks I've ever had period. Split a porterhouse for two which comes with three sides and was amazing! Lobster bisque and roll service were fantastic as well.

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Unfortunately, I haven't been to many of the signatures :(
There are so many on my "Must try" list--but most of my Disney trips are centered around the races, so I'm usually not splurging on food while there. :(
The ones I have been to, in order of favorite to least favorite--but we've had great experiences at all:

Hollywood Brown Derby (LOVE the "Old Hollywood" atmosphere and the food and service has always been excellent)
Jiko
Monsieur Paul
Flying Fish
 
I haven't been to too many, but my list would be as follows:
Narcoossee's
Artist Point (best salmon on property)
Yachtman's Steakhouse
 
Artist Point-mushroom bisque, amazing steamed mussels, salmon, one of the best beet salads I have ever had and I adore beets, the whole quiet upscale ambiance

Yachtsman-classy NYC steakhouse vibe, the rack of lamb is TDF, love their steaks and sides, equally, great selection of desserts

Tiffins-a real break from the park-it is a stunning, serene, classy space, very beautifully decorated, the artwork is incredible, the strip loin is one the best entrees I have ever eaten in Disney

Hollywood Brown Derby-always been one of my favorites-we do the Fantasmic dining package there every year, it is just a fun experience all around-the service is top notch and the food is fantastic-love their lamb, filet, duck, crab cakes and the signature grapefruit cake

CRT- even though we always enjoyed it before we ate there last month and the food their has improved incredibly since last year-the Beef and Shrimp is outstanding

California Grill-not for dinner but the brunch is fantastic
ALso love Shula's but that is not on the dining plan.

We have had nothing but less than stellar meals at the GF signatures and bluezoo a few times quite a few years ago and have not been back in a while. The rest we have experienced, Le Cellier, Jiko and Flying Fish, have ranged from really good to mediocre on different occasions.
 
One of the big draws of a WDW trip for me is the food. I love love love the signature restaurants! My thoughts and rankings based on the ones I've eaten at:
1) California Grill - from start to finish, the experience is amazing. I recommend going up to the bar a little before your reservation and having a drink (or two). It's a really cool vibe and the views are the best on property. I travel with big wine drinkers (we're from the Napa Valley, California so we know a thing or two about a good glass), and Cali Grill has a very extensive wine list. I believe almost everything they offer by the bottle is available by the glass as well, which is quite incredible. The food is very, very good. Since it's that Asian-pacific-Californian fusion style, there's quite a lot of variety, from sushi to seafood to meat. I've been there twice and had exceptional meals both times. Staying for the fireworks after (or during if you plan your timing right) is the cherry on top.

2/3) Monsieur Paul and Jiko - I think at this point we're splitting hairs. Both are exceptional but offer quite dramatically different styles and flavors. M. Paul for a more elegant, upscale French atmosphere; Jiko for more vibrant, colorful, playful African fare. As awkward as it sounds, my only meal at M. Paul was a solo one (dinner at that). I recall I had beef as an entrée and it was delicious; melted in your mouth. The menu, on the other hand, was a little small and didn't have the variety I expected from a signature French restaurant. It's a much more intimate atmosphere, though, so if you go, plan for a quieter evening. Jiko, however, is more open and colorful. They have a bigger wine list with some exotic labels and the menu seemed to have more options. I believe we all had vastly different entrees, too, which makes for sharing and sampling a tasty endeavor!

4) Citrico's - Slightly more casual vibe (open kitchen, big counter seating area, prominent bar) with excellent food. I've eaten here twice and have not been disappointed. I've had outstanding appetizers, salads, and desserts. That's not to knock the entrees in any way, it's just that the apps and salads I've ordered have been my meals and have been incredible!

5) Flying Fish - I'm not a big seafood guy, so I can't speak to the quality or selection of fish here, but the people I ate with said this was their favorite restaurant on property. If they still have a braised short rib appetizer, that's a must! We ordered 3!

Final thoughts - I didn't include Victoria & Albert's as that doesn't seem like a fair comparison but that was a special treat, for sure. We did the 7-course option and it was one of the best meals I've ever had. As for the ones mentioned above, I have not eaten at Artist Point, Tiffins, Hollywood Brown Derby, Narcoosee, Yachtsman, or Le Celier yet. I DID eat at Nomad Lounge, however, which is the bar/lounge next to Tiffins in Animal Kingdom, and this is now a MUST DO every trip. Until Avatar-land opens, which is imminent, this is the best kept secret on property. It's tucked away in the corner and has insane food and drinks. I went there to relax and check it out and ended up staying for 3 hours. I had some spicy wings and kobe sliders which were mouthwatering. I can only imagine that Tiffins is equally as impressive. As for Hollywood Brown Derby, I've only had drinks on their little side, outdoor patio and that was cool. I had a great Moscow mule and enjoyed the people-watching.

Hope this helps and happy eating!
 
I've eaten at all of the signatures on property except the ones in Disney Springs, the Swan & Dolphin restaurants, and Victoria & Alberts. Here are my top 5:

1. Monsieur Paul. We've only eaten here once (about 3 weeks ago) but it was phenomenal. Prior to eating here, I've always believed resort signatures to be generally superior to park signatures. Monsieur Paul might be the sole exception.

2. California Grill. Have eaten here 4 times and, prior to our most recent trip, would've ranked it 4th or 5th (we go back and forth between having a pretty good meal and an exeptional meal here and, on our most recent trip, it was exceptional).

3. Jiko. Have eaten here 4 times and, overall, it's been the most consistent place we've visited multiple times. Have always at least had a very good meal here but none have been quite as good as the best two meals I've had at Cali Grill or the one at Monsieur Paul.

4. Flying Fish. Have eaten here 4 times and, overall, it's been the next most consistent behind Jiko. Have always had at least a very good meal here. However, I miss the snapper from the old menu (and liked the old decor better).

5. Citricos. Have eaten here 4 times and have found it to be very solid. Have always had at least a very good meal here but my best dining experience here hasn't been quite as good as my best experience at each of the restaurants ranked 1-4.

And here's how I'd rank it from there:

6. Artist Point. Prior to our most recent trip, this restaurant would have been in the top 3. But I felt that the main entrees had too much of a rustic flair compared to our previous 3 visits. Still love the portabello mushroom soup.

7. Yachtsman. On our most recent trip, I enjoyed my meal here more than at Artist Point and about on par with Jiko, Flying Fish, and Citricos. But, on all previous trips, I'd have ranked it below all of those.

8. Hollywood Brown Derby. Love the old Hollywood theme and while we've always had decently solid meals here, I've never had a really great meal here (the Fantasmic package keeps us coming back).

9. Tiffins. We've only eaten here once (about 3 weeks ago) and while it was solid (if not a bit exotic), the quality wasn't quite good enough to make up for, what I thought, were relatively small portion sizes (even for a signature).

10. Narcoossee's. Since it's primarily a seafood place, I want to order seafood but just can't justify their prices for lobster (expensive, even by Disney standards) and am usually not wowed by the other seafood offerings on the menu.

11. Le Cellier. We've only eaten here once and were not very impressed. Nothing about this restaurant is signature-worthy except the mushroom filet. Monsieur Paul is a dramatically better option in Epcot (especially, if using dining credits).
 
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I'd also recommend Jiko, Monsieur Paul and Tiffins. Can't seem to find the photos for those. These are 5 consistently good, and seem to be part of a consensus of sorts on the DIS.

I personally would avoid CRT. It's just not even close to signature anything.
My experience at Narcoosees was memorable in a not so good one and done kind of way.
 
Omg! Ding ding! We have a winner :tink:i will be eating this! Thanks for sharing :thanks:


Alright! You won't regret it promise! Service here was top notch but will advise on one thing, dessert options did not really appeal to me. I did try some kind of savory strawberry dessert but did not care for it. I'd walk over to beaches and cream for dessert, my opinion though.
 
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I'd also recommend Jiko, Monsieur Paul and Tiffins. Can't seem to find the photos for those. These are 5 consistently good, and seem to be part of a consensus of sorts on the DIS.

I personally would avoid CRT. It's just not even close to signature anything.
My experience at Narcoosees was memorable in a not so good one and done kind of way.



That all looks delicious! Yummmm
 
We have had two great experiences at California Grill. Just ate there last week. It would be my absolute top on the list, just because it is such a bucket list item for so many Disney fans to see the view and the fireworks (we book a table for about an hour to an hour and a half before fireworks time). Just standing outside at the top while waiting for our table was an experience in itself, and seeing MK and the GF and all the buses and stations is really cool. And the food and the service are also fantastic.

I was afraid that ordering the chicken at such a special place might be a bit boring, but it was not at all. It was beautifully prepared and scrumptious. I have never had chicken like that before.

Below is a steak flatbread, a California roll, the chicken dish, and a blueberry cheesecake.

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Top 5 in our personal opinion:

1) Victoria and Albert's Grand Floridian.
2) Shula's Dolphin (tie with 3)
3) California Grill Contemporary (tie with 2).
4) Citrico's Grand Floridian.
5) Il Mulino Swan.
6) Narcoossee's Grand Floridian.

We've listed 6, because Victoria and Albert's is FAR MORE than a "Sig". It's a whole different thing. Wonderful, and it WILL cost you. A $700 bill for two is not outrageous. Party of two - the other restaurants listed will be in the $250, party of two, range.

All personal opinion - I'm not necessarily right, no one else is necessarily wrong.
 
Thanks for asking this question! It's been very informative for my fall Disney trip where we plan to try some signatures for the first time.
 
1. Jiko
2. California Grill
3. Narcoossee’s
4. Monsieur Paul
5. Citricos

These are the ones that most impress me and have the most magic, presentation, style, gourmet food and overall most memorable experience. I enjoy the other signatures quite a lot too, though. The Wolfgang Puck one is not really worth it, though and Artist's Point is the least memorable of the resort ones though it is still very good fine dining. Cinderella's Royal Table is a 1 credit Dining restaurant masquerading as a Signature due to it's location, theming, and characters.

Though, obviously, the actual best restaurant in Disney World, if not the entire world, is Victoria and Albert's but that's so far beyond "signature" it's not even funny, and as it's not on the Dining Plan, it doesn't make my list, but really, there's not even any competition to it and it is, of course, routinely ranked among the best restaurants in the world on various lists.
 


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