Restaurants

[Mamato4boys]

The poutine at The Kroft is amazing. And yes, I'm pretty sure you can take most anything from there to go.

Thank you! I have always wanted to try poutine, too!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Friends don't let friends eat at crappy chain restaurants (Cheesecake, Bubba Gump's, Mimi's, Chili's, Applebees, Olive Garden etc etc)...

In an ideal world, no. But friends do let friends eat where the food makes them happy, especially when on vacation. Even a chain restaurant can seem exotic when there isn't one anywhere near your home. And while none of your listed restaurants floats my boat either, we've eaten at those places so many times because our guests really wanted to go there and we wanted to make them happy. So if the OP really wants to eat at the Cheesecake Factory, then s/he should try it and enjoy.

 

[GoBears 1980]

Anything in particular you would recommend there? We are considering checking it out for our arrival night dinner. Do you have to eat there or can you take it elsewhere? We have four kids, including a toddler and a baby, so I am looking for places we can get stuff to-go.

It really is an upscale food court, you can get everything to go. The beauty of it being an upscale food court is everyone can get something different. I love Kroft, the Indian place, the fish & chips place, Ecco pizza, Pandor and Black Sheep Grilled Cheese Bar, but I've never had a bad anything from anyplace there.

 

[VandVsmama]

Marri's menu looks nice

Marri's delivers, too!

 

[22Tink]

In an ideal world, no. But friends do let friends eat where the food makes them happy, especially when on vacation. Even a chain restaurant can seem exotic when there isn't one anywhere near your home. And while none of your listed restaurants floats my boat either, we've eaten at those places so many times because our guests really wanted to go there and we wanted to make them happy. So if the OP really wants to eat at the Cheesecake Factory, then s/he should try it and enjoy.

This!! I live in a small town in central British Columbia and we have none of these restaurants anywhere near us so when we travel restaurants like this are 'new' to us and are fun to try!

 

[BadPinkTink]

In an ideal world, no. But friends do let friends eat where the food makes them happy, especially when on vacation. Even a chain restaurant can seem exotic when there isn't one anywhere near your home. And while none of your listed restaurants floats my boat either, we've eaten at those places so many times because our guests really wanted to go there and we wanted to make them happy. So if the OP really wants to eat at the Cheesecake Factory, then s/he should try it and enjoy.

HIGH FIVE Im from Ireland, we dont have Cheesecake Factory, Bubba Gumps, Ihop, Dennys, Olive Garden, Panda Express, In and Out, Jack in a Box, Carls Jr and many other restaurant chains common in USA. In Ireland the menus in Starbucks, KFC and McDonalds are different to the menus in USA.

Therefore when I go to USA I like to eat in many of the restaurants you seem to look down on @DharmaLou Also not everyone has the budget to go to an upscale food court when in Anaheim to go to Disneyland. For example, my airfare to California is over $1000. So yes I will eat cheaply if I have to.

 

[kylie71]

Joe's Crab is a chain also..... but we do not have one close to us in Reno... and we LOVE their crab!
Its your vacation, enjoy whatever place will make you happy, and make wonderful memories!

--Lori

 

[Becca1007]

Anything in particular you would recommend there? We are considering checking it out for our arrival night dinner. Do you have to eat there or can you take it elsewhere? We have four kids, including a toddler and a baby, so I am looking for places we can get stuff to-go.

Do you have a smart phone? You can download the App "DoorDash" and they will deliver food from a ton of local restaurants, since you are looking for take out. They charge $6 for delivery plus a tip for the driver but if you were planning on a cab to/from a restaurant the cost is minimal. What I do is enter my hotel address and room number into the app, then choose a restaurant for delivery about 40 minutes before we are heading back to the room. Then usually the food and I arrive back at the room about the same time. No wasted park time and all the littles don't have to spend time waiting in a restaurant for food.

Oh and Carolina's (recommended above) is an option. :-D

 

[tlovesdis]

Joe's Crab is a chain also..... but we do not have one close to us in Reno... and we LOVE their crab!
Its your vacation, enjoy whatever place will make you happy, and make wonderful memories!

--Lori

We love Joe's Crab Shack too! I live in Richmond and the closest are SF or Sacramento I am surprised there isn't one in Reno!

 

[kylie71]

We have Everything else it seems like! The closest one to us is Old Sac! It makes it Special now, when we go to Garden Grove! lol! We had Christmas Eve dinner there last year!

--Lori

 

[tlovesdis]

We have Everything else it seems like! The closest one to us is Old Sac! It makes it Special now, when we go to Garden Grove! lol! We had Christmas Eve dinner there last year!

--Lori

You sure do! We are headed there this month for a weekend! Last trip we fell in love with a steak place called Ruby River! Can't wait to go back there in a few weeks!

 

[kylie71]

You sure do! We are headed there this month for a weekend! Last trip we fell in love with a steak place called Ruby River! Can't wait to go back there in a few weeks!

Ruby River, over accross from the Peppermill! Yes, its so good! Melt in your mouth steak! The new buffett at the Atlantis is very good too. They remodled and put in new stations........ it's pricey, but Excellent!

--Lori

 

[DharmaLou]

HIGH FIVE Im from Ireland, we dont have Cheesecake Factory, Bubba Gumps, Ihop, Dennys, Olive Garden, Panda Express, In and Out, Jack in a Box, Carls Jr and many other restaurant chains common in USA. In Ireland the menus in Starbucks, KFC and McDonalds are different to the menus in USA.

Therefore when I go to USA I like to eat in many of the restaurants you seem to look down on @DharmaLou Also not everyone has the budget to go to an upscale food court when in Anaheim to go to Disneyland. For example, my airfare to California is over $1000. So yes I will eat cheaply if I have to.

Honestly, the Packing District is no more expensive than any of the chains and so much better. We definitely eat on a budget on vacation and still manage to skip the chains

 

[tlovesdis]

Ruby River, over accross from the Peppermill! Yes, its so good! Melt in your mouth steak! The new buffett at the Atlantis is very good too. They remodled and put in new stations........ it's pricey, but Excellent!

--Lori

Yes! We loved it! Ooooooo, we are staying at the Atlantis!!!

 

[GoBears 1980]

This!! I live in a small town in central British Columbia and we have none of these restaurants anywhere near us!

That sounds like a great reason to move to a small town in central British Columbia!

 

[GoBears 1980]

HIGH FIVE Im from Ireland, we dont have Cheesecake Factory, Bubba Gumps, Ihop, Dennys, Olive Garden, Panda Express, In and Out, Jack in a Box, Carls Jr and many other restaurant chains common in USA. In Ireland the menus in Starbucks, KFC and McDonalds are different to the menus in USA.

Therefore when I go to USA I like to eat in many of the restaurants you seem to look down on @DharmaLou Also not everyone has the budget to go to an upscale food court when in Anaheim to go to Disneyland. For example, my airfare to California is over $1000. So yes I will eat cheaply if I have to.

The upscale food court will offer higher quality, more creative and cheaper food than The Cheesecake Factory and Bubba Gump. It will have the same over IHOP and Denny's, but be a bit more expensive, and it should be for the higher quality, fresh food.

I might get eating at Olive Garden if you didn't know where else to go in an area, but when locals offer up a place like Marri's as a vastly superior alternative, why dig your heels in to eat at the inferior restaurant?

Orange County is home to some of the best Asian food in all of the United States, why eat at Panda Express when for cheaper, you can get better Chinese food?

You may not have the mentioned chains in Ireland, but you also don't have the better, local restaurants that have been offered up as better alternatives.

 

[bkoyle]

I like Panera for a quick meal. It is right across Harbor Blvd from the Esplanade.

 

[Jason2015]

My family enjoys Fire and Ice in the Garden Walk. It's a Mongolian BBQ that also offers Burgers and other things done on the flat-top. Last time we were down we went for Sunday Brunch which had omelets and pancakes as well as the normal meat and veggie offering. Also, it is fairly well priced for as much as you want to eat. Wasn't that long of a walk from the parks either and made for a good midday break.

 

[Mamato4boys]

It really is an upscale food court, you can get everything to go. The beauty of it being an upscale food court is everyone can get something different. I love Kroft, the Indian place, the fish & chips place, Ecco pizza, Pandor and Black Sheep Grilled Cheese Bar, but I've never had a bad anything from anyplace there.

Thank you!! I LOVE Indian food, but no one else in my family does, so this sounds like a great way for everyone to get something they like!

Do you have a smart phone? You can download the App "DoorDash" and they will deliver food from a ton of local restaurants, since you are looking for take out. They charge $6 for delivery plus a tip for the driver but if you were planning on a cab to/from a restaurant the cost is minimal. What I do is enter my hotel address and room number into the app, then choose a restaurant for delivery about 40 minutes before we are heading back to the room. Then usually the food and I arrive back at the room about the same time. No wasted park time and all the littles don't have to spend time waiting in a restaurant for food.

Oh and Carolina's (recommended above) is an option. :-D

I will have to look into that; thanks!! Sounds like it would be very convenient!

Honestly, the Packing District is no more expensive than any of the chains and so much better. We definitely eat on a budget on vacation and still manage to skip the chains

I was just looking at some of the menus and I was really surprised at the prices! I found several options that were close to fast food prices... especially if we skip the drinks there and take it back to our motel!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

For the OP and anyone else looking for restaurant info near the parks, AVOID Captain Kidd's like the plague! No matter where else you choose to eat, DON'T eat there.