Restaurant Suggestions Needed

[lat]

wr have not been to Disney for 2 years and are coming back for 5 nights for the Memorial weekend.

I booked California Grill for my DD’s 20th birthday. We never miss this restaurant for our visits. Is it still very good?

I also booked Kona Cafe for our arrival dinner since we are staying at Poly.

I finally booked flying fish after so many years.

Are these places still good?

Any other suggestions?

We went to La celliar last time and did not feel the food justified the prices, even for lunch!!

Thanks!!

 

[rwdavis2]

As for California Grill, easywdw.com has just done a couple of reviews. He liked it and we loved the brunch on 2016. We also ate at Fying Fish in November 2016 and we thought the meal was good but not great and not a good value for a signature meal. We liked Jiko and Sanaa better.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Cali Grill is variable, IMHO. We've had great food there. We've had mediocre food there. But the service and view have always been great.

Kona - not a fan. I think the food is mediocre and the restaurant is in desperate need of a refurb. If you are staying at Poly, though, it's a convenient choice.

We did not like Flying Fish. The food was just ok and the service was terrible. If you aren't on the dining plan and want to eat in the EP area, I would suggest bluezoo at Dolphin over FF.

 

[lat]

Blue zoo - I have heard great things in the past. Will check it out.

No, we will not be on any dining plan.

What about Yachtsman’s Steakhouse or Artist Point?

Thanks

 

[hllb]

We went to CA Grill for the first time last week and loved it. The food was excellent. We didn't eat at Kona, though we were staying at Poly. Ohana is our favorite.

 

[NYCgrrl]

wr have not been to Disney for 2 years and are coming back for 5 nights for the Memorial weekend.

I booked California Grill for my DD’s 20th birthday. We never miss this restaurant for our visits. Is it still very good?

I also booked Kona Cafe for our arrival dinner since we are staying at Poly.

I finally booked flying fish after so many years.

Are these places still good?

Any other suggestions?

We went to La celliar last time and did not feel the food justified the prices, even for lunch!!

Thanks!!

Still haven't done CG so no help there but I do like what I read of it so it certainly remains in play for a future trip.

Kona Cafe remains unpretentiously what it's meant to be IMO: a casual and restful meal with well cushioned seats. Twas my introduction to dining at Disney July 2017 and it brightened my spirits and raised my overall expectations of what I was going to have "endure" for the next 4 or 5 days.
Yeah. I was one of those" Whaaa?! Disney for days on end? Guess I'll be on a reducing diet for the duration and and staff will fake smile at me as they suck my wallet dry!" people you meet in life.
We returned there for Christmas Eve 2017 dinner and still found it just the way we anticipated even though the menu had changed between the summer and winter.

I never ate at the original iteration of FF but we enjoyed the current version enough to make 2 visits there during our Christmas visit. Personable yet professional staff, amazing decor and the food to match. DGD learned new things about me as I went on a spur of the moment discussion of the juxtaposition between art on canvas and instances of it in daily usage inspired by the IMO genius who designed this eating venue. Fortunately, she's a budding art freak herself so didn't wonder if I'd imbibed a bit too much.

I made an ADR @ Le Cellier for our December trip but decided we were getting a tad too "beef-centric" and cancelled. Poutine is too starchy for our current manner of eating but I'd reserve (and show up) in a heartbeat if cretons or tourtiere were on the menu-slurpy yum yum.

Personally I've been perfectly happy with Boathouse's steak offerings and the seafood is great too. Still haven't tried STK Orlando or Yachtsman's carnivore moments but I'd be more inclined to try YS for the prime rib dinner if that was my mindset. Boatwright's also serves prime rib but online pics of it show it to be closer to Outback's in grade and if I'm going beef I want the best my pocketbook can handle. I've eaten @ Shula's in Ft. Lauderdale thus saw no reason to eat there at Disney; not a fan of sports memorabilia although the man is.

 

[CraigInPA]

What about Yachtsman’s Steakhouse or Artist Point?

My wife and I enjoy the casual, uncrowded, and laid back vibe of Artist Point. We've had some great, and some not-so-great, meals there. The last time, last February, was great. The time before that, we had a space cadet server who had issues with finding time to serve us.

California Grille is kind of loud since the refurb a couple of years back. The food is still excellent, especially if you love sushi. And, of course, there is the view...

I didn't find Yachtsman anything special. In fact, at the prices being charged, I thought it below par with others at a similar price point. If it's steak you're after, and you're not on the dining plan, take the 10 minute walk from the Yacht Club over the Dolphin and eat at Shula's. The price is similar, but food quality and service is better.

 

[gharter]

A huge fan of CG. We've never had a bad meal there, but some have not been so happy. Try to time your meal around the time of fireworks if you can.
We have not had bad food at Artists Point, but reviews have been all over the board.
We still like the menu at Flying Fish, maybe not quite as much as the old menu.
Jiko is awesome if you are adventurous with your food at all. Quieter and relaxed.
Il Mulino at the Swan is also very good, best Italian at WDW.
For lunch Skippers Canteen is fun at MK.
Have not tried Bluezoo yet ( great reviews, on our list for this fall) or Yatchmans Steakhouse (too many good steakhouses at home).
Animal Kingdom, big fan of Satu'li Canteen for lunch and Tiffins for dinner.

 

[Dean Marino]

Two GREAT Signatures that no one ever seems to think about....

1) Shula's at the Dolpin
2) Il Mulino at the Swan

BOTH accept TIW. Neither accepts DDP.

 

[DaisyDuck001]

IMHO all three of those places are not as good as they used to be, due to recent menu changes. My current favorites include The Wave, Boma, Tusker House, Rose & Crown, Biergarten, Skipper Canteen, and Afternoon Tea at the Grand Floridian.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Two GREAT Signatures that no one ever seems to think about....

1) Shula's at the Dolpin
2) Il Mulino at the Swan

BOTH accept TIW. Neither accepts DDP.

"Tables in Wonderland (TIW), formerly the Disney Dining Experience, offers Florida Residents, DVC members and Annual Passholders 20% off of all food and beverage purchases at the participating Disney restaurants. It is a membership program with annual fees and each card is good for up to 10 guests. The card is valid for one year from the date of purchase."This card costs at least $150.00 so you need to know you'll return often enough to make it worth your while as well as meet it's eligibility requirements".


I bet this is a great deal for those who fall under the category of being eligible for a TIW card, thus visit frequently, and don't want to pay the cost of a park entrance
OR are not on a dining plan which is probably the vast majority of Disney visitors.
Thennnnnnnn there are those who don't have an avatar honoring a Dolphin player, LOL.

 

[Disneypapa]

I am not a fan of Kona Café. I found the menu to be to limited and poor service.

I recommend the following in no particular order:

O'Hana
Whispering Canyon
House of Blues
Raglan Road

 

[sleepydog25]

Agree with the comment about CG being inconsistent with the venue itself remaining a must for some people. I might suggest doing the CG Brunch on Sundays unless you're set on watching fireworks. Other suggestions:
Artist Point: It has had some up and down moments, but with the advent of the new chef a couple of years ago, it's been predominately superb. Hard to beat the ambiance of the restaurant and the resort.
Il Mulino: Agree that it's often overlooked. Very good and they offer small plates which is something most restaurants do not.
Sanaa: Excellent. Do lunch early and get a seat by a window. Order the bread service. It's a meal unto itself and simply scrumptious.
Tiffins: In the park at AK, it's lovely, has upscale food, and a great bar. It is a Signature.
Tutto Gusto Wine Cellar: They don't take ADRs, but if you show up around the time they open (11 a.m.), you can get seated on one of the comfy, low settees. It's relaxing, has good antipasto, small plates, cheeses, and a very good selection of wine.

My wife and I enjoy the casual, uncrowded, and laid back vibe of Artist Point. We've had some great, and some not-so-great, meals there. The last time, last February, was great. The time before that, we had a space cadet server who had issues with finding time to serve us.

Was his name Izzy?

 

[lat]

Thanks so much for all the suggestions. I made some changes to our reservations. We are now going to

Blue Zoo for dinner on the day we fly in. Hopefully the flight would be on time. They even provide free valet. A new restaurant for us based on the recommendations here.

CG brunch -never tried it. Hopefully it would be just as good as Palo on Disney cruise. It does not look like it has as many offerings as Palo.

Victoria & Albert dinner on my daughter’s 20th birthday!!

On the fence for FF.

 

[Novatrix]

Thanks so much for all the suggestions. I made some changes to our reservations. We are now going to
Blue Zoo for dinner on the day we fly in. Hopefully the flight would be on time. They even provide free valet. A new restaurant for us based on the recommendations here.
CG brunch -never tried it. Hopefully it would be just as good as Palo on Disney cruise. It does not look like it has as many offerings as Palo.
Victoria & Albert dinner on my daughter’s 20th birthday!!
On the fence for FF.

Since you're staying at the Poly, why not take advantage of the fact that you can get the Twilight Feast delivered to your room? It's the same food as they serve in Ohana, the portions are humongous so if you're normal sized eaters you could split one adult portion between 2 people and still have leftovers the next day, and on your arrival day you can order it whenever your flight gets in without needing to worry about making it to a reservation on time.

 

[LovesTimone]

California Grill - has been if'y since the refurb... The view is still wonderful and if you are lucky and can get a table at the window at fireworks time really something to see... But the food has gotten way out there, the language on the menu is too wordy and you will need to read between the lines. The quality, portion, and service are well a roll of the dice.... Our favorite thing there is the sushi, dessert and view.

Kona - is a great spot for a meal... especially if you are tired from traveling and just want to relax and eat... We actually like Captain Cooks the QS - Pork sandwich and pork fried rice are 2 of my favorite, Dh likes the big Kahuna sandwich and hot beef and cheese sandwich, We take the food pool side, add in a adult beverage or two and we are good to go. The DD's like the flat breads. You could always monorail hop over to one of the other resorts.

Flying Fish - DH and I really enjoy having a later dinner here, 8:00 or after... For us it seem less hectic and chaotic, once you get pass the normal dinner hour. Food and Service for us have been always good and consistence.

There are so many new restaurants at Disney Springs that you will want to really check it out... You might want to start there on your arrival night if you not getting in to late or not to tired....

 

[sleepydog25]

CG brunch -never tried it. Hopefully it would be just as good as Palo on Disney cruise. It does not look like it has as many offerings as Palo.

Having dined at both, I'd call it a dead even race. There is a fair amount more on the counters at CG than it might appear, everything from sushi, to charcuterie, to salads, to pastries, et. al. Further, you can order whatever you want off the menu, and they'll bring out half portions if you want to try two things, for example. Food quality is about the same as is the service. If I had to choose one, I'd likely side with CG Brunch. The deciding factor is that you get views of MK from your table and from the catwalk outside. Just my preference.

Update: My wife thinks Palo is better. So, there you go. I think you'll enjoy CG Brunch, as does she.

 

[Alexsandra]

wr have not been to Disney for 2 years and are coming back for 5 nights for the Memorial weekend.

I booked California Grill for my DD’s 20th birthday. We never miss this restaurant for our visits. Is it still very good?

I also booked Kona Cafe for our arrival dinner since we are staying at Poly.

I finally booked flying fish after so many years.

Are these places still good?

Any other suggestions?

We went to La celliar last time and did not feel the food justified the prices, even for lunch!!

Thanks!!

I loved California Grill when we went a year ago. The food was delicious and the views are spectacular.

Kona Cafe pleasantly surprised me on my last visit. I usually only do breakfast but we went for lunch and the food was delicious. I had the fish tacos. I do suggest you go to Kona Cafe for breakfast as it is one of the best breakfasts in all of WDW.

Never been to FF so cannot comment.

Le Cellier was great back when it was on 1 dining credit but not worth it now that it is a signature restaurant.

Restaurants to suggest are hard because I don,t know much about your travel party. Are you all adults vacationing or will there be children? DO you want suggestions on signature restaurants?.
Restaurants I like are:
Ohana' for dinner
Liberty Tree tavern for lunch in MK
BOG for lunch for QS in MK
Tusker House for breakfast/brunch in AK
Flame Tree BBQ for QS in AK
Tiffins in AK
Boma for breakfast or dinner
Sanaa
50's Prime Time in HS for comfort food (fried chicken, pot roast, meatloaf and PB&J shakes)
Beaches and Cream for burgers and amazing sundeas
Via Napoli, La Hacienda de San Angel, Rose and Crown, Beirgarten, etc. in EP
Victoria & Alberts for real fancy dinner
Wolfgang Puck for QS in DS

Still tons that I've never tried