Please share your best & worst dining experiences

[starrysky]

WORST:
1) Tony's. OMG never EVER again. GROSS! my chicken parm was horrible. I tried my son's meatball and couldnt swallow it. It was that bad. Their marinara sauce is what killed all the dishes. Yuck! The atmosphere was cold and uninviting as well.

BEST:
1) Cali Grill: my son and I both LOVED our meals. everything was AMAZING, the food and service!!

2) I know its not TS, but Wolfgang Puck Express marketplace. HOLY MAMA, i cannot stress how amazing it was! I had the spag&balls and sweet mother of pearl i thought i was in heaven. My son felt the same way about his pizza. We WILL be returning every single trip, even if i have to walk on foot for miles!!


Disappointing but not the worst meal i've had, Le Cellier. Yes I had the breadsticks, and the soup, and i can honestly say it wasnt that great. I've had FAR better in my hometown. The strip steak i had was mediocre. A bit too fatty for my taste....and it lacked flavour to be honest. I really dont understand the hype this place gets. I dont think i ever will. I wont go back for a while.

I agree 100% with this its freaky.

I was so disappointed with Tony's as I thought it would be fun to go but it was horrible. The waitress hovered around to see what tip she was getting after being nothing but rude to us.

Le Cellier was horrible too, the soup was so salty, they left our starter plates on the table when they brought out our mains. They even tried to put them on the table without moving the other plates .The steak was gross with the Mushroom slop on the bottom. The only saving grace of the whole meal were those bread sticks and the chocoalte moose. If i could have found the server to complain I would. Worse part was they were falling all over the coupld next to us and we were shoved in a corner and left. I will never go back there again. I think we got the deserts for free once we did complain after I tried to stop DH from leaving with out paying it was that bad and to be honest we don't even think they would have noticed. He never wants to do that and never would but he was so angry. We had already wait 45mins past our ADR time as well.

 

[iloveeeyore]

It's fantastic to see how some bests are others' worsts!

For us, dining in Disney is about the overall experience which includes, but is not limited to, the quality of the food. In many cases, we are thrilled when our food is "pretty good" or "surprisingly good," depending on the atmosphere and/or entertainment that go along with it.

For example, CRT is one that would fit into our "best" category. What would happen if we were asked to pay $50 per plate for a skimpy salad and "pot roast" with a pastry at a local restaurant? Of course we would complain and never return. However, since this meal is served in the castle, with over-the-top attention from the princesses, we think the experience is priceless! The food is fine, nothing I would crave, but satisfying. We have had 3 stellar experiences here, and in our opinion, they rank very high in our "best memories at Disney" list. On the other hand, while our meal at Artist Point was top-notch, unbelievably delicious with excellent service and lovely, peaceful atmosphere, I would not think of ranking it in our "best," because no one in our family is begging to return any time soon. However, if this restaurant were at home, we would dine here again and again!

from that perspective, some of our other "bests" are:

hddr - our only must-do every trip
chef mickey's for dinner on our first night
'ohana dinner
cali grill
wanayama safari/jiko

"worst"

wcc dinner
abc commissary

gladly there are very few worsts

 

[scottashackleton]

Best - Every visit to Crystal Palace for breakfast! French toast puffs for life!

 

[SCGDisney]

Best:

50's Primetime. Good food & service. Our waiter was great. He kept the kids entertained with many 'knock, knock' jokes.

Chef Mickey breakfast. The kids loved the characters and kid-friendly breakfast food. I'm always surprised this one gets such terrible reviews. Maybe we just had a uniquely good experience? I didn't find it dirty or find that food was everywhere. It was enjoyable for us & one of our favorites.


Worst (by far):

Crystal Palace for dinner. Food was yuck, characters were slow. They didn't rush us to leave after we were done eating which was nice, but it took FOREVER for all the characters to make there way to us. FIL nearly flipped over how terrible the coffee was...tasted like it had been made that morning and never brewed again.

Mediocre:

Whispering Canyon. Food was just okay. We waited at least 30 mins past our ADR's.

Trails End. One good meal there and one just 'ok' meal.

 

[kapoof]

best:
jikos, flying fish, artist point, bomas, cape mays, kona and the cafe in france.

worst:
abc commissionary,the bakery in norway, i used to love the school bread until last trip when it was stale and hard! gf cafe, to be fair, never got the chance to eat there just walked after waiting for 1 hour.

 

[ciera321]

Isn't it amazing how one's list of "terrible" or "worst food I've ever tasted" is another's these are the "best" or "most wonderful" places we went to and will definitely go again

Exactly what I was thinking!

 

[pampam]

I agree 100% with this its freaky.

I was so disappointed with Tony's as I thought it would be fun to go but it was horrible. The waitress hovered around to see what tip she was getting after being nothing but rude to us.

Le Cellier was horrible too, the soup was so salty, they left our starter plates on the table when they brought out our mains. They even tried to put them on the table without moving the other plates .The steak was gross with the Mushroom slop on the bottom. The only saving grace of the whole meal were those bread sticks and the chocoalte moose. If i could have found the server to complain I would. Worse part was they were falling all over the coupld next to us and we were shoved in a corner and left. I will never go back there again. I think we got the deserts for free once we did complain after I tried to stop DH from leaving with out paying it was that bad and to be honest we don't even think they would have noticed. He never wants to do that and never would but he was so angry. We had already wait 45mins past our ADR time as well.

We ate at Tony's lst week. The food was fine, and the service was nice. But when we left, the waitress didn't bring us our change. Now, I'm a good tipper, always 19-20%. But I always thought it was the customer who decided how much to tip. So I waited for our change. And I waited. Our server took the orders for new arrivals sitting next to us. She brought them their food. And I waited for our change. After quite a while, she asked us if everything was ok. I said it was just fine, I was just waiting for my change. Of course, she said, and returned with some money, but it wasn't the exact change. I couldn't say how much over it was, because when she took my money, she took the bill too, and of course it was long gone. So, she didn't know how much change she owed me. I still tipped her about 19%, but I was quite annoyed that she did that. I was sorley tempted to tip her less, but the food and service up to this point was fine. It will be a good many years before we go to Tony's again.

 

[LUVDZNY2008]

Best (for food)
Kona-breakfast
Boma-breakfast
California Grill
Jikos
LeCellier

Worst (for food)
Hollywood & Vine-Yuck
Whispering Canyon-the meat in the skillet-Ewwwwww....

 

[starrysky]

We ate at Tony's lst week. The food was fine, and the service was nice. But when we left, the waitress didn't bring us our change. Now, I'm a good tipper, always 19-20%. But I always thought it was the customer who decided how much to tip. So I waited for our change. And I waited. Our server took the orders for new arrivals sitting next to us. She brought them their food. And I waited for our change. After quite a while, she asked us if everything was ok. I said it was just fine, I was just waiting for my change. Of course, she said, and returned with some money, but it wasn't the exact change. I couldn't say how much over it was, because when she took my money, she took the bill too, and of course it was long gone. So, she didn't know how much change she owed me. I still tipped her about 19%, but I was quite annoyed that she did that. I was sorley tempted to tip her less, but the food and service up to this point was fine. It will be a good many years before we go to Tony's again.

I am from the UK so tipping is not something we do as a rule however I do understand that it is customery to tip in the US so when in rome and all that. At home I will tip for good service but it was the hovering I object to and those cards they put in with the bill irs printed on the bill foe heavens sake. The whole keeping the change is really really rude to me that would be theft unless I said keep the change or passed over the money said thankyou and left. What that person did to you was rude IMO.

As a few pps have said read the reviews and make your choice with tony's i said it cant be that bad based on the reviews and sadly I was very wrong.

Forgot to add the puffed french toast in CP is to die for my mouth is watering just thinking about it. Only good things about ohana were the cocktails and the bread pudding again like the french toast to die for.

 

[wishicouldgomoreofte]

Worst:
Coral Reef
Rose & Crown

Best:
Victoria & Albert's (of course)

 

[ckb_nc]

Best
Crystal Palace for Breakfast - although it can be crowded we love it
Ohana's breakfast / brunch
Kona's for dinner - we love it
HHDR - just fun
Wolfgang Puck Express

Worst
Pretty much anything at HS - honestly have yet to find an enjoyable meal there
Chef Mickey's - breakfast/lunch/dinner - just not good

 

[Princess Me]

Best:
California Grill - Excellent food & service. The best meal we had during our trip. Even our 10 year old niece loved it & wants to go back.
CRT - Good food, excellent service & atmosphere. I think everyone should eat in the castle at least once

Worst:
'Ohana - Terrible server & service. Food was just ok. The lapu lapu was great, but I had to ask for it 3 times & she didn't serve it until the meal was over.

 

[goofy4prez]

Best: Narcoossee's. Ok, I know I am in the minority here, but I love this place. We have always had excellent service and I love the surf & turf. I substitute the lobster tail for scallops and am in just outside the pearly gates of heaven while I enjoy my meal. We also always go late enough so that we can watch the Electric Water Pagent and Wishes as well.

Worst: 1900 Park Fare. First off let me say the atmosphere is fun, the restaurant looks great, and it was an absolute joy to watch my daughter and her friend get picked out to share a waltz with Prince Charming. But the food was absolutely horrendous. IMHO, it is no exaggeration to say this was among some of the most unpleasurable buffet food to pass my lips and find it's way to my tongue. I would choose a buffet at Golden Corral before I ever experience this place again.

Most Pleasant Surprise: Captains Grille. We went to this place for the first time when we stayed at the Yacht Club and for our arrival day wanted to just stay near the resort and the board walk area. We cancelled an ADR and changed it to this place and I have to admit we were very surprised. The service was excellent, the atmosphere while not over the top themed was very nice, and the steak I ordered was much better than the over-hyped place I'm going to mention below. We have since been back to Captains twice and will go again.

Most Disappointing: LeCellier. I remember the excitment and anticipation I had for this place. All day long I could not wait for our ADR for LC. All the online reviews, all the DIS members telling how it was a momentous event in their lives, I could not wait. Then the big moment arrived...

We entered past the gate, walked down the path through the beautiful grounds outside the restaurant, and walked throught those doors only to be greated with a 50 minute wait to be seated. Ok, not happy, but I will live with that. After the very long wait we were escorted to a table right in the middle of the heavy traffic flow leading right to the most popular place in the restaurant: you got it, the restroom, can, latrine, head, potty, john, or whatever you may call it. The table was the first one by the entrance, right next to a server station where all the servers would enter in their bills, and also next to another station for silverware. Upon asking "politely" if we could move, the server brought us a manager whom upon speaking to her was told there was nowhere else we could move. When we expressed our concern she then told us and I qoute, "you can sit here or you can go somewhere else to eat, but you will not be moved."

As for the meal, sorry to disagree with those who rave about this place, I found it to be very, very, average at best. The Mushroom Filet was a huge letdown. It was not an impressive piece of meat to begin with but was acceptable. The mushroom sauce was very salty and tasted like nothing more than Campbells mushroom soup poured right out of the can. The rice which they called risotto, IMHO, was nothing more than Minute Rice. I so wanted to have that WOW moment where time stood still, the earth would shake, and I would lose all conception of time and space and be lost in a complete state of culinary bliss, but like that first kiss in the second grade, it was just not worth the anticipation once the big moment arrived. Perhaps I will try this place again (surely no way as a signature though) but for me it was very Outback in it's offerings. I know I was long winded in my opinion of LeCellier, but this place is actually the most and one of the few disappointing things I have encounterd at WDW.

 

[Princess Sleepy]

Most Disappointing: LeCellier. I remember the excitment and anticipation I had for this place. All day long I could not wait for our ADR for LC. All the online reviews, all the DIS members telling how it was a momentous event in their lives, I could not wait. Then the big moment arrived...

We entered past the gate, walked down the path through the beautiful grounds outside the restaurant, and walked throught those doors only to be greated with a 50 minute wait to be seated. Ok, not happy, but I will live with that. After the very long wait we were escorted to a table right in the middle of the heavy traffic flow leading right to the most popular place in the restaurant: you got it, the restroom, can, latrine, head, potty, john, or whatever you may call it. The table was the first one by the entrance, right next to a server station where all the servers would enter in their bills, and also next to another station for silverware. Upon asking "politely" if we could move, the server brought us a manager whom upon speaking to her was told there was nowhere else we could move. When we expressed our concern she then told us and I qoute, "you can sit here or you can go somewhere else to eat, but you will not be moved."

As for the meal, sorry to disagree with those who rave about this place, I found it to be very, very, average at best. The Mushroom Filet was a huge letdown. It was not an impressive piece of meat to begin with but was acceptable. The mushroom sauce was very salty and tasted like nothing more than Campbells mushroom soup poured right out of the can. The rice which they called risotto, IMHO, was nothing more than Minute Rice. I so wanted to have that WOW moment where time stood still, the earth would shake, and I would lose all conception of time and space and be lost in a complete state of culinary bliss, but like that first kiss in the second grade, it was just not worth the anticipation once the big moment arrived. Perhaps I will try this place again (surely no way as a signature though) but for me it was very Outback in it's offerings. I know I was long winded in my opinion of LeCellier, but this place is actually the most and one of the few disappointing things I have encounterd at WDW.

I think this is a good example of how expectations can lead us to view things differently. I haven't eaten at LC, so I can't comment on that specifically, but we had several surprises:

Garden Grill: This was a last minute addition to our first trip in 2009. I was not expecting much from some of the reviews I had read. We had good food and an amazing character experience. We had to do it the next trip too. My DDs would love to do this one every time.

Tony's: We accidentally ended up with the DxDP and didn't know it until we were at WDW (long story, don't ask) so we added Tony's as one of our dinners. It was convenient and my DD4 was celebrating her birthday and pasta was one of the few things she would eat. I was sure it would be a dark atmosphere with crappy food. We were so pleasantly surprised! The food was good (not phenomenal, but better than you might expect for theme park Italian) and we were seated in a beautiful, bright atrium-type room.

So, don't expect The Four Seasons from theme park restaurants and don't believe every review you read.

 

[Albytaps]

I think this is a good example of how expectations can lead us to view things differently. I haven't eaten at LC, so I can't comment on that specifically, but we had several surprises:

Garden Grill: This was a last minute addition to our first trip in 2009. I was not expecting much from some of the reviews I had read. We had good food and an amazing character experience. We had to do it the next trip too. My DDs would love to do this one every time.

Tony's: We accidentally ended up with the DxDP and didn't know it until we were at WDW (long story, don't ask) so we added Tony's as one of our dinners. It was convenient and my DD4 was celebrating her birthday and pasta was one of the few things she would eat. I was sure it would be a dark atmosphere with crappy food. We were so pleasantly surprised! The food was good (not phenomenal, but better than you might expect for theme park Italian) and we were seated in a beautiful, bright atrium-type room.

So, don't expect The Four Seasons from theme park restaurants and don't believe every review you read.

True. This is so true in other subjects as well, such as movies. when you get so hyped for something, there is a good chance you will be let down when you actually experience it.

However, with Le Cellier it worked for us. We were hyped up about it, and had a great experience there. I had the mushroom filet which was suggested by meny Disboards members and I absolutely LOVED it. It was probably one if not the best steak I ever had. I'm usually a "the bigger the better" type of guy and don't usually order filet mignon but man that was a good steak. I loved the atmosphere at Le Cellier and the cheese soup and maple creme brulee were also outstanding!

I think if you have a bad experience before you even touch your food and hate the place already, you will most certainly have a bad taste in your mouth to begin with.

 

[nulyte]

Our worst experience had to be at Cinderella's Castle. We hadn't been there in awhile and my daughter begged to go. Being on the dining plan we were aware that it would be 2 TS credits and thought why not? Well, our wait staff was horrible. She barely acknowledged us and hardly ever came to the table. When I requested hot tea she brought a teapot and a tea bag that she had picked. I had just watched the waiter at the next table bring out a beautiful fully stocked tea chest for the woman to pick her tea. I asked our waitress about the chest and she looked at me and said fine and walked away. She never did bring it back. The waiter at the next table over heard and he did bring the chest to me. The food for 2 TS was mediocre at best and the princesses took for ever so our meal ended up being almost 90 minutes long. So much for entering the park right at opening. Our reservation was at 7:45a.m. We ended up leaving the waiter at the other table a 15% tip for taking care of us and our waitress 5%. I then wrote Disney a letter and told them how disappointed we were and I had her name. Sorry but at Disney I expect at least a moderate effort.

Our BEST meals are always at O'hana. Absoultely love their breakfast and experience. We now start every trip off with breakfast the first day at Ohana's, it has become a tradition! I also ask for the KONA coffee from the kitchen. It comes in a french coffee press and is enough for about 4 cups. It runs an additional ~$7 but is worth every penny! They have always been attentive and are constantly refilling our family platter. LOVE O'HANA!

 

[mickeysbestfriend]

our best Disney diining experiences were at restaurants that no longer exist like Empesss Lilly, Papetee Bay Verandah, top of the World and King Stephan's banquest hall.

Our current bests are all in Epcot

Our worst, and those we will not return to, are :

San Angel Inn
Tony's
Whispering Canyons
CRT

bill

 

[1slowdaddy]

Best: maybe surprisingly, but it is a CS restaurant: Tangierine Cafe. It was our first visit to Epcot in '99. We had never eaten Mediterranean food. The food was wonderful and we sat at a table and watched the Epcot parade (of nations (?)). A great experience. I still love the place.

Worst: Chefs de France in 2011. None of us were impressed with our food or our service, especially considering the price. The 2 year old child screaming non-stop during the ENTIRE meal at the table next to us was unbearable, though. His parents sat smiling and chatting and just let him scream,...continuously. We requested to be moved to another table, but were told that it wasn't possible.

 

[TiggerDadof2]

DW and I went in August 2010 without the kids.

Our worst experience was at Raglan Road. They seated us in the bar area and we could not see the stage from where we were. The food wasn't very good. I got the Banger's and mash and it had a very strong pepper taste. The waiter didn't come over much after bringing us our entrees. Worst of all later that night I got really sick and I'm sure it was from the food there.

Our Best experience was at Captain's Grill that same trip. It was such a nice resteraunt and not crowded. We went on DW's Birthday and she still talks about the steak and horseradish mashed potatoes. She can't wait to go there again someday.

 

[oceanmarina]

Our Worst:

1. Coral Reef Restaurant - DH's steak had nerve endings in it, tough & rubbery


Our Best:

1 Narcoosees - best lobster I ever had, DH adored his filet mignon, he thought it was the best steak he ever had