Opinion Request: ADRs for "Not Fancy, More Laid Back" Table Service Places?

[Missoutandabout]

Hello Dining Experts,

Wanted to find out which places y'all experts suggest for the following situation. Any and all advice is greatly appreciated!

If you want to take a stab at this ...here's a rundown of the scenario:

What We're Looking For:

A short-list of nice table service places to try and make ADRs for. Not too many as we're only there for 7 nights; we don't like feeling tied down to having to rush around and be at a certain place all the time. However, we want to make a few. We don't to ultra fancy. No "tie and jacket" sort of places. We went to The Wave last year, which was nice and that's the highest level of "fancy" we're interested in.​

The cast:

Hubby, Myself and our 4 year old.​

Time:

Mid-End September​

Reason for Going:

It's Disney, ya know! And we'll be celebrating our 10th anniversary. ​

Add'l Info:

No Dining Plan.​

What We Like/Don't Like Food-Wise and What We've Tried at Disney Previously:

Any ethnic food usually goes over quite well with us: Indian, Thai, Japanese. We're not inspired by Italian food so usually avoid any Italian restaurants. We're really not into buffets but can be swayed -- like our breakfast at Cape May Cafe which was quite nice. We went to the following restaurants last year at Disney:

• OHana (breakfast only)
• Kona Cafe (breakfast and dinner)
• The Wave
• Rose & Crown
• Cape May Cafe (breakfast only)

Again, if ya want to have a go at some recommendations... thank you muchly!

Cheers.

 

[smiths02]

I envy that you get to stay at the Poly

Our favorite meal of our trip 2 years ago was Ohana dinner (with a 3 year old).

For characters, my favorite was Donald Safari Breakfast at AK park (we ate more of a brunch and were full all day!). We also did Chef Mickey (dinner) and Crystal Palace (dinner), but not as fun and food not quite as good (especially Chef Mickey, still like Crystal Palace). You are not on Dining Plan so breakfast would be cheaper, so that is another reason why I would recommend the Safari Breakfast.

 

[disneylove69]

Boma has an ethic flare. It is buffet but tasty. Most any restaraunt is casual and laid back. Liberty square has a nice restaraunt in the Magic Kingdom.

 

[ChrisHartman]

We loved Teppan Edo, it was DH, myself, and our four year old son! It was fun, entertaining, and laid back. We got to meet new people from other places since we shared our Hibachi with 3 other groups. The chefs were entertaining and the food was great!

I highly recommend it!!

 

[tinkandpan]

Some of our favorites which might work for you:
Kona
Tokyo Dining or Teppen Edo
Coral Reef
Grand FLoridian Cafe
The Plaza in MK
Boma
Wolfgang Puck
Bongos in DTD
We like the lunch at Tusker House
Sanar (spelling - new one in AKL)

 

[minniebride]

I would add on to the list

50's Prime Time Cafe (Hollywood Studios)
Sci-Fi Dine in (Hollywood Studios)
Tusker House (Animal Kingdom-it's a buffet, but it's terrific and offers alot of "ethnic" food)

 

[BriarRosie]

The only place that requires a jacket is Victoria and Albert's, and they don't allow anyone under 10 to dine there. It's definitely the most upscale of any restaurants, and the rest are about as "fancy" as The Wave.

You could go to any other restaurant at WDW and be ok with it. The only requirement for dress is that you can't wear swimsuits, tank tops/muscle shirts (for men only; women who have a tank sleeve on a top or a dress aren't turned away.), ripped or torn clothing.

I've worn jeans at California Grill, but I tend to stick with capris and a casual knit tshirt and find it's ok for anything other than Victoria and Albert's.

 

[Disney_1derland]

The Plaza in MK is about as low key as you can get. And tasty, it's a nice break from the hustle and bustle. I love the Brown Derby at Studios. It's a signature meal but a lot less upscale than the resort Signatures. Definitely a nice break from the insanity happening just outside it's walls.
Raglan Road at DTD doesn't kick up to a high roar until about 8pm. Before that it's very laid back and has some great choices.

 

[HappyMatt]

At Resorts
-Someone suggested Boma earlier, and I think it is a fantastic idea. It is not your typical buffet. We always enjoy it.
-Whispering Canyon is fun. It's laid back, the wait staff is entertaining. The food is American fare, lots of bbq and fried chicken.

Magic Kingdom
-If you are in the mood for some good sandwiches, The Plaza is a good choice.

Hollywood Studios
-50's Prime Time
-The Brown Derby has a wonderful Cobb Salad.

Animal Kingdom
-Yak & Yeti is pretty good.

Downtown Disney
-Raglan Road

 

[sue_gowin]

We're sort of similar when it comes to dining. Fancy and dressy is nice once in a while, but we prefer laid-back

HS - 50's prime time (we had a blast here!), Sci-Fi (food isn't the BEST, but the atmosphere is really fun!)

Epcot - Teppan Edo was VERY good. We still talk about it!!, Beergarten was fun (it is a buffet, which you're not crazy about, but it's a fun experience and your little one will probably love dancing during the live music).

If any of you are sports fans, the ESPN Club at the Boardwalk Inn is a good idea. My DH is a HUGE football fan, so he could get his fix at this restaurant! FYI, it gets pretty loud and rowy as the night goes on, so I would recommend an earlier ADR here.

Have fun!

 

[El&Asmom]

We LOVE both Boma and Sanna. Two of my absolute favorite places to eat and may work well for you if you like ethnic food, although they still have good choices for kids.

 

[mrmdisneyfl]

Laid back and Yummy for us

1. Sanaa at AK-Kidani -Indian type flavors-laid back and check out the animals near the fire pit outside.

2. Grand Floridian Cafe - may feel stuffy b/c in Grand Floridian, but laid back and good food.

3. La Hacienda for mexican in Epcot. Try to go later in the evening to catch the view of Illuminations at 9 pm.

Enjoy your trip and Happy Anniversary!

 

[catra121]

Just a couple more that are my favorites:

Coral Reef - Quiet and GREAT food. The big fish tank is fun to watch during dinner.

Sci-Fi Dine in - Only if you want a fun experience with OKAY food. This is one of my favorites and a must for every trip.

Liberty Tree Tavers - My favorite MK place to eat. Nice to be able to sit down and relax. Service was really great here for lunch when we went.

There are so many great places and all of them are pretty casual. Some people like to dress up for the signature places...but I always wear jeans and I am not in the minority with that. I think you would be comfortable in any place except Victoria and Alberts in terms of it not being fancy. These are a few I have tried that weren't on your list...but there are so many more that I want to try. I would look at the menus and see which ones appeal to you. You will be comfortable at any of them.

 

[bumbershoot]

A couple of our faves were Sanaa and the Brown Derby. They look fancy, but they didn't act it, and there were many people dressed more casually than we were.

 

[Pig Pen]

The Plaza in MK is about as low key as you can get. And tasty, it's a nice break from the hustle and bustle. I love the Brown Derby at Studios. It's a signature meal but a lot less upscale than the resort Signatures. Definitely a nice break from the insanity happening just outside it's walls.
Raglan Road at DTD doesn't kick up to a high roar until about 8pm. Before that it's very laid back and has some great choices.

After dozens of visits to MK, we finally visited The Plaza for lunch. We were pleasantly surprised. It was TS but fairly light fare. We sat near a window and relaxed while watching the world go by. It was very nice.

 

[Mouse's Shadow]

I LOVE Disney restaurants. I go for the experience as much as I do the food. With that said, we really like:

Restaurant Merrakesh at Epcot. The food is probably the most ethnic at Epcot, but still very tame. We went with some very picky eaters, (my FIL thinks that BBQ pork chops are exotic ) and they loved it. The belly dancer and Moroccan band are great.

Sci-Fi Dine-in Theater Restaurant at DHS. We prefer the lunch menu. It's good for a burger, Reuben, turkey sandwich or ribs. You get to sit in cars and watch the trailers to old horror movies. It's a lot of fun.

Tony's Town Square Restaurant at MK. It serves Italian food. It's a great place to take a break at MK. I've also heard good things about the Plaza as well, although I haven't had the opportunity to eat there.

Boma at Animal Kingdom Lodge. It is a buffet, but it is a very good buffet. It offers flavors of Africa, but nothing too far out for the American palate. It's great to go up to the observation deck and see the animals after dinner.

All of these are laid back. Have fun deciding. Choosing restaurants is all part of the fun for me.

 

[Missoutandabout]

I want to sincerely thank everyone for their recommendations. Even if I don't make a ton of ADRs (which I probably won't), I'll be compiling a list to take with me of the restaurants mentioned in this thread. That way, when the tummies inevitably start grumbling, I can whip out the ol' Dis list and see what's around that's good!