Potential Dining -- Need Opinions Please

[Terk-1]

Am planning my next trip and was looking to dine (lunch or dinner) at some of the restaurants below. I'm a pretty picky eater, so it's just the basics for me. Can you guys give me any thoughts? Thanks!

Tusker House
50's Primetime
Liberty Tree Tavern
Sci-Fi
Garden Grill
Rose & Crown
Le Cellier
Cindy's
Crystal Palace
1900 Park Fare
Concourse Steakhouse
Spoodle's
California Grill*
Shutters*
Old Port Royale*
Grand Floridian Café*
O'Hana's
House of Blues
Mama Melrose's*
Tony's

*Never dined before

 

[Pat_Elliott]

I'll be happy to comment on those I've either visited more than once, or once and have a feel for the cuisine!


Tusker House – No clue

50's Primetime – excellent theme, and lot's of varied-menu "comfort food." Note, I think the food is great, some say it's ok. People either LOVE the theme or HATE the theme. It's not calm, that's for sure.

Liberty Tree Tavern – An excellent stop with decent selection for a picky eater.

Sci-Fi – Totally, in my opinion, for theme. We go in, split a sandwich platter, have shakes, and then eat more later somewhere else. The theme is the whole thing here. Basic "American cuisine."

Rose & Crown – I LOVE The food (especially the fish), but DW, a picky eater like you, had to fight with the menu to put together a meal. Limited, definately non-standard food.

Le Cellier – In a word, awesome. Good food (plenty of beef-oriented selection), good atmosphere.

Cindy's – No clue
Crystal Palace – No clue
1900 Park Fare – No clue
Concourse Steakhouse – No clue


Spoodle's – Excellent. Might be some of the best food in Disney. However, stay the hell away from the pizza.

California Grill* – An expensive but rewarding event. Leans towards "fine dining," so a picky eater will have to work the menu a bit. Great when there's fireworks at MK, but that's not necessary to make it a good time. In my opinion, with all due respects to Spoodles, the best restaurant in Orlando.

Shutters* – No clue.

Old Port Royale* – No clue.

Grand Floridian Café* – No clue

O'Hana's – I put it up there with Spoodles and CG.

House of Blues – I think it's highly over-rated. You're paying a lot for atmosphere, and in my opinion the atmosphere isn't that good.

Mama Melrose's* – So so.

Tony's – No clue.

 

[caitycaity]

50's Primetime - one of our favorites! i really like the food and the pbj milkshake! the theme isn't for everyone though.

Liberty Tree Tavern - dh really likes this, but to me, it seems like all the stuff you could buy at home in the frozen food section... the characters are cool though.

Garden Grill - great character interaction and great food.

Rose & Crown - only so-so. it seems to be hit or miss as i've had excellent fish and chips here and also soggy fish and chips.

Le Cellier - i love their filet with mushroom risotto and the service has always been excellent.

Crystal Palace - one of the best buffets at wdw, and i love the pooh characters

Spoodle's - dh and i love this place; we try to go once a trip.

California Grill* - only been here once, but we loved it. our waiter was very attentive and helped us choose things we would like. if we weren't travelling on a budget, we'd go back all the time!

House of Blues - dh and i really like HOB. on our last trip we ate there like 3 times!

Tony's - yuck! chrunchy, overpriced pasta, annoying waiters. i like the design of the restuarant, but that's about it.

 

[Eeyore2003]

These are the ones I've been to and my opinion, considering you are a "basic eater".

Sci Fi---atmosphere is cute, we've gotten basic sandwiches, large portions, hubby likes the shakes

Le Cellier---our favorite so far. Basics, plus a few really neat new things.

Cindy's---haven't eaten there in about 10 years, when we went the food wasn't the best, but I've heard they've improved.

Concourse Steakhouse---really basic meal, but prepared very good, (steak, fish, chicken,etc.)

Mama Melrose---we REALLY didn't care for this meal. The place was jam packed and the tables seemed crowded and close. We all ordered something different and ended up eating one persons meal that we all liked, the rest we didn't care for.

 

[mommystieg]

We are trying a lot of the ones on your list during our visit this June and I got most of those ideas from these wonderful people on the DIS boards.
Cindy's-the breakfast was not one of our favorites although lots of people rave about the French toast we somehow manage to overlook it on our visit. I have also read that lunch and dinner are good if you don't need to eat with the princesses.
Crystal Palace-we had lunch there and loved it. The character interaction is great!!
California Grill-expensive but worth it. Yummy
Mama Melrose's-we also ate lunch here and thought it was ok.

 

[Jinnyboom]

Of the ones you have listed, (and we have tried)...my only caveat would be Tusker House...no one in our party was pleased with our meal here.

 

[LAWalz23]

The only that I have tried that I will say anything negative about is Mama Melrose. Nobody in my party enjoyed it and we had a little bit of everything. But other people love it so I always say everyone needs to make their own decision about a particular restaurant.

 

[cindala]

Originally posted by Terk-1

Garden Grill LOVE THIS PLACE!

Rose & Crown OK

Le Cellier DELICIOUS BUT EXPENSIVE
[/COLOR]

Some of the others we have dined at, but not recently, so I can't comment.

 

[erikthewise]

50's Primetime -- A fun place with good basic "comfort food". Definitely worth trying.

Liberty Tree Tavern -- dinner character meal has great atmosphere and character interaction, but food (Thanksgiving fare) was mediocre on my visit.

Sci-Fi -- OK for lunch; good burgers, good thick-cut onion rings. Can be expensive but worth a try.

Garden Grill -- My favorite character meal! Great food -- basic American cuisine but well-prepared and flavorful.

Cindy's -- A very nice lunch! (and not too expensive) Don't know about breakfast or dinner.

Crystal Palace -- A fine character buffet, but not a "must".

Grand Floridian Café* -- If you're staying at the GF but don't want to spend a fortune on food, this is where you go. I wouldn't make a special trip for it, but if you find yourself at GF during mealtime or want to escape from MK for lunch, go ahead.

O'Hana's -- YES! This would be my top choice from this list. Asian style appetizers plus grilled meats. All you can eat. One entire wall is a window onto Seven Seas Lagoon. If there are fireworks, you can see them from virtually anywhere in the restaurant (though of course window table have the best view).

House of Blues -- If you like New Orleans cuisine and blues/jazz (I do!), it's a great place to eat. Otherwise, you may want to try another DD eatery.