Opinions on dining

[goofy78]

Hi! First trip to DL in August. I want to get some opinions on where I have tentatively decided to eat while there. It will be me DH DD13 and DD13. DH and I are very much into food. The girls will be fine with whatever we decide. For dinner I have chosen Catal Restaurant, Steakhouse 55, Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen, and Napa Rose. I still need one more dinner. For lunch I have chosen Earl of Sandwich, Carnation Café, Carthay Circle and Café Orleans. I also need one more lunch but know if I don't book a reservation we'll be fine finding something. Any opinions on the choices and any suggestions for another dinner? Blue Bayou's menu does not interest me. I could book Carthay Circle for dinner but since we are eating lunch there I was looking for something else.

 

[tlovesdis]

We love Jazz Kitchen, so great choice there!!! We also love Earl and Cafe Orleans! I am trying Carthay for lunch for the first time in June!

Wine Country Trattoria in DCA is a nice place to have dinner and if you time it right and ask for a table on the wall, you can watch the Pixar Parade!

 

[goofy78]

We love Jazz Kitchen, so great choice there!!! We also love Earl and Cafe Orleans! I am trying Carthay for lunch for the first time in June!

Wine Country Trattoria in DCA is a nice place to have dinner and if you time it right and ask for a table on the wall, you can watch the Pixar Parade!

Great! Thanks so much! I'll look at the menu again for WCT.

 

[tanyaegangibson]

I don't think it takes reservations, but UVA (which is associated with Catal) is a really fun place to eat and have drinks. We did it with our kids a few years ago and I plan to do it with them again in July. Plus, it's a great place from which to people watch in Downtown Disney.

 

[goofy78]

I don't think it takes reservations, but UVA (which is associated with Catal) is a really fun place to eat and have drinks. We did it with our kids a few years ago and I plan to do it with them again in July. Plus, it's a great place from which to people watch in Downtown Disney.

Wow. Their menu looks great. Corn arepas....... mmmmmmmm! Thanks!

 

[goofy78]

Does any restaurant have fettuccini alfredo? The only one I see is ESPN Club.

 

[Nevada Jen]

I would change Carthay to a dinner res and do catal at lunch (although the outside part, so maybe that is UVA). Food wise, those two are the only ones I would consider special. We are foodies also (and would rarely choose to eat QS) and I really liked Begal BBQ. Just a heads up that anything in downtown Disney is going to require you to go out and go through bag check again to go back to the parks. The bag check lines can get long at night with people coming back in for the fireworks and the parades. I wouldn't battle the bag check line to leave the park for Earl of Sandwich. For first time visitors, Blue Bayou is really worth it because you eat inside the ride. It about the quality of outback but I would trade out Napa or Steakhouse 55 for that just to get the experience.

 

[goofy78]

Any opinions on Storytellers Café for dinner? And what are the top rated breakfasts? Doesn't matter if there's characters or not and can be buffet or a la carte.

 

[goofy78]

I would change Carthay to a dinner res and do catal at lunch (although the outside part, so maybe that is UVA). Food wise, those two are the only ones I would consider special. We are foodies also (and would rarely choose to eat QS) and I really liked Begal BBQ. Just a heads up that anything in downtown Disney is going to require you to go out and go through bag check again to go back to the parks. The bag check lines can get long at night with people coming back in for the fireworks and the parades. I wouldn't battle the bag check line to leave the park for Earl of Sandwich. For first time visitors, Blue Bayou is really worth it because you eat inside the ride. It about the quality of outback but I would trade out Napa or Steakhouse 55 for that just to get the experience.

If I add in BB, would you recommend the PTN package? Are the menus different if you do the package? Would you pick Steakhouse 55 or Napa Rose?

 

[smartlabelprint]

If I add in BB, would you recommend the PTN package? Are the menus different if you do the package? Would you pick Steakhouse 55 or Napa Rose?

The items on the PTN package can be ordered off of the regular menu. I think there are a few more things on the regular menu but I don't remember. http://allears.net/dlr/dining/newdlrmenusystem.htm/menu/menus.htm
I think you should try bb because of the ambiance.

 

[squeezle]

We had a wonderful lunch at Storytellers Cafe - it is very quick to duck out of the back entrance of CA into the Grand Californian. We also like the quiet and calm atmosphere compared to some of the restaurants in the parks.

 

[Abbey1]

The only restaurant I would change on your list (based on my own experience) is Catal. We ate there once and won't return. It was perhaps the worst meal we've had on Disney property. I know a lot of people like it though, so maybe we just caught them on a (terribly) off day.

Maybe it would be fun to do lunch or dinner at Trader Sam's if you enjoy cocktails. We also enjoyed Wine Country Trattoria, which I see isn't on your list.

You've picked most of our favorites though! Enjoy!

 

[Nevada Jen]

The menus are different if you do the package. I don't think the PTN package is worth it. We always just watch from over by IASW and walk up right before the parade and are a few rows back and can see absolutely fine. I would pick Napa Rose over Steakhouse 55 because I would get the steak at Blue Bayou. And I agree about Storytellers. It is great for when you need a break from park crazy for lunch. You probably don't need a reservation there for lunch though.

 

[agamble]

I didn't see any character meals on your list. I know it says your girls are 13, but the character meals can be a lot of fun, even with older kids. Just a thought.

 

[figment_jii]

Another in-park location that my family likes is the River Belle Terrace (same menu at lunch or dinner).

Any opinions on Storytellers Café for dinner? And what are the top rated breakfasts? Doesn't matter if there's characters or not and can be buffet or a la carte.

Storyteller's has both a buffet option or an a la carte menu at dinner time. I've done both and my family generally preferred the buffet. There was a nice selection of items and most were very good. The only drawback is that the service seems a little inconsistent (we had a hard time finding our server to get drink refills both times we've gone for dinner). We've also gone for lunch (a la carte only) and it was also very good.

 

[avalon451]

If I add in BB, would you recommend the PTN package? Are the menus different if you do the package? Would you pick Steakhouse 55 or Napa Rose?

You can do BB for lunch; if possible for your schedule, you could book first seating at 11:30. Show up at 11:15 and request waterside seating for the best ambiance and view of the ride. As others have said, it's more about the atmosphere, though the 3 times we've been there, the food and service have been very good, too.

If you're a foodie, I'd do Napa Rose. Really the top restaurant on property. I've heard good things about Steakhouse 55 but some reviews have it as just ok.

 

[crystal1313]

Steakhouse 55 =) Storytellers is nice, but I have never been blown away with my meal there. Then you can hit up Trader Sam's before or after dinner for a drink!

 

[tanyaegangibson]

Just thought of something...if you're foodies and since you're planning to go to Napa Rose anyway, you might do the chef's counter there. You can make reservations pretty far in advance (I think I've done it over 60 days), but you can't do it online. Call the restaurant directly (I think I found it online last time, but otherwise, just call the Grand Californian directly and ask for it) to make a reservation. There are two seatings, I believe, 5:30 and 8:30, and the chef's counter is small so you want to call early. (If given a choice, choose the chef's counter over the "dessert counter.")

There are a bunch of threads on the boards about the whole experience, too, but the gist of it is that you can choose a preplanned tasting (paired with wines, if you wish) or you can leave it up to the chef to decide what you are going to have (after you have expressed to the server what you would prefer not to it or have a food sensitivity to--for instance, my husband will eat pretty much anything, but I'm not into organ meat and won't eat octopus in front of my son, who is uncommonly fond of octopuses and thinks eating them is barbaric. Yeah, he loves cows and eats burgers, but he says that octopuses are way too smart to be eaten.)

If your 13-year-olds are all interested in food and watching it be prepared or have ever watched one of those cooking shows, they'll probably be enthralled. (We've been doing it with our kids since my son was 6 and my daughter was 9, and they love it!)

 

[mgd]

If you like fried chicken, you should check out plaza inn. Not as upscale as some of the other places you list, but a favorite of many and a good value. Limited to chicken, pot roast, fish, pasta, served cafeteria style, but always dished out fresh in front of you.

 

[goofy78]

I didn't see any character meals on your list. I know it says your girls are 13, but the character meals can be a lot of fun, even with older kids. Just a thought.

I know they're fun but we've done so many at DW I didn't plan on doing any this trip. Minnie's might be an option though. Thanks!