REVIEW - Tony's Town Square

[BluOrchid2]

$18.50 for a plate of spaghetti and two meatballs. Does that give you any kind of indication how unhappy I was with this place? Ok, the meatballs were HUGE. Probably 2.5" in diameter. But COME ON. And yes, I know this is Disney, where everything is overpriced, but the price for this dinner, which DID NOT even come with a side salad, is nearing the price for an adult character buffet! It tasted good enough, but the value just wasn't there. They brought bread slices before dinner, served with some kind of red sauce (I wouldn't call it marinara) for dipping. Now maybe I just don't know italian food very well, but both the bread AND the sauce were cold, served that way, not was-once-warm and got cold. It wasn't very appetizing, eating cold hard bread with cold red sauce while waiting for our food.

It took a very long time to get our order. 4 of the 5 of us ordered spaghetti, and the 5th person ordered Frutti de Mare, a seafood pasta dish. I wish I had timed it, but I think it was probably a good half hour to get our food.

I have to say another thing about the menu, too. Very limited choices, maybe only 8-10 entrees from which to choose. Now we went to Tony's last December, while the CP was being refurbished, and the Pooh characters were there. It seemed to us that the menu was a lot bigger then. I recall ordering a dish with grilled vegetables on penne pasta, and it wasn't on this dinner menu we had last week.

I won't go to Tony's again. Too pricey for what you get, IMO.

 

[sue1013]

What you are referring to as marinara sauce is definately not. I've had it before its sundried tomato with olive oil. Never been to any restaurant or at home served hot olive oil for the bread. My family happens to like Tony's and don't feel its anymore expensive than any other Italian rest. at WDW, they're all more expensive than would be at home.

 

[BluOrchid2]

Thanks, but I didn't refer to it as marinara sauce. I said it WASN'T marinara sauce.

It's funny how every time someone posts a bad review, someone else has to come along and say how wrong they are. I'm glad your family liked Tony's; mine didn't think it was good enough for the price. I don't mind paying $18.50 for some meals, just not spaghetti which costs maybe $.39 and a couple of hamburger meatballs.

 

[sue1013]

Didn't mean to say you were wrong sorry if you took it that way. Just pointed out that I've never had olive oil for bread to be served hot. Maybe where you are from thats how it is. People all have different opinions and thought that was one of the good things of reading these boards. Next time you start a thread make sure you include the instructions "Only reply to post if you have the same opinion".

 

[CarolA]

It's funny how every time someone posts a bad review, someone else has to come along and say how wrong they are.

If you want 100% agreement don't post on these boards.

I did wonder if you looked at the menu before went there. I have never eaten there just because the menu and the prices don't make sense to me. Plus if I am having Italian I want a glass of wine! LOL!

 

[BluOrchid2]

Ladies, ladies! Didn't you see my winkie eyes after that comment? I think it's funny! It always happens, to me, to everyone! If someone write something negative about a favorite of yours, it's only natural to want to defend it with your own opinion. I'm probably guilty of doing it myself. To assert that I only want posts on my threads if they agree with my own opinion is to accuse me of having a very small mind, indeed.

Anyhoo....I still stick by my original opinion. Tony's, while having good tasting food, is highly overpriced - even for WDW.

And about the cold bread and sauce....ever heard of warm garlic bread? cheese toast? that's where I was coming from. And yes, I've had bread with olive oil and parmesan to dip into, but the bread was warm. And never with a cold red sauce. Just my own inexperience in fine dining, I suppose. LOL

 

[dzneelvr]

Tony's has never really tripped my trigger either, but DS and DD love the spaghetti (minus the meatballs), so we always go there for lunch and time it so we can get a good curbside seat at the parade.
I WILL NOT pay the cost of their dinner menu--agree it's not worth it.
My DH and I split a few appetizers instead of ordering entrees. That gives us more variety.

We probably won't go there when DD and DS tire of it.....
there's not much for atmosphere and other places much better as far as menu creativity.

 

[CamColt]

I have to agree with you, Bluorchid. We went to Tonys on a whim about 5 years ago. I didnt know about the Dis back then(did it even exist?) and I didnt see the menu beforehand. I just know I like good Italian food. Boy was I disappointed. Back then the spagetti was a bargain at 17.00 , but I felt that was overpriced. Like you, I dont mind paying a lot for a good meal, but that price for spagetti, and yucky spaghetti at that, was not worth it...and I dont usually think WDW prices are too high.

 

[swankybeth]

Thanks for the review. I've never tried Tony's because coming from NYC we're used to great Italian food. Now I know to definitely avoid the place!

 

[Aisling]

If you want 100% agreement don't post on these boards.

BluOrchid2 , maybe some here didn't understand, but I understood perfectly that you weren't looking for 100% agreement.

My family was also disappointed with Tony's.
I was really looking forward to eating there, since I'm a sentimental Lady and the Tramp fan, but the prices were ridiculously high for average food and atmosphere.

I wouldn't advise anyone NOT to try Tony's, but just be prepared that it might not be worth the price.

 

[suzannews]

Hi Lora!

 

[k&a&c'smom]

BluOrchid2 -

We used to have lunch at Tony's every time we went to WDW. However, we have skipped it the last 3 trips, as the menu seems to have changed and I agree the dinner menu has very few enticing items on it. I used to always get the Chicken Limone (or some version of it) and they no longer have it on the menu.

By the way, I'm just down the road in Clinton, thumbs up for a fellow "Show Me State" post!

 

[sdamico71]

I, too, felt that Tony's was overpriced. Don't mind paying for good food. But Tony's was average, at best. I did look at the menu to ensure that there was something my kids would eat. But truly didn't look at the prices.
Went for my daughters birthday. Was disappointed in the wait time, both to get in the restaurant and for the meal. We were one of the last reservations of the night. And we were probably the last group to leave for the night.
The wait staff seemed understaffed and overworked throughout our meal.
Just my 2 cents.

 

[YCFAN]

I always use to enjoy the breakfasts at Tony's but since they don't serve breakfast anymore, we ate dinner there on July 4th. They accommodated a sleeping toddler in a stroller ( a life saver) and kept his cheese pizza warm until he woke up. I had the veal medallions which were very tender and were served in a delicious brown sauce. The cauliflower mash side dish was very tasty also. Teenager had chicken and enjoyed that, but my DH had the spaghetti and MEATBALL. He said it was only OK. The butterscotch creme brulee was wonderful. I guess I'd have to say our overall experience was a good one.

 

[sbelyo]

I'll say that I like Tony's for lunch, but not for dinner. The tomato sauce is not really true Italian sauce (gravy). I usually stick to the chicken parm. We had dinner there last year, and the menu was nothing to write home about. I had a steak that was not bad, but not like Ruth Criss or even outback. I and my family would've had a better dinner in one of the resorts. I'll also agree that $18.50 is no ball of fire for spagetti.

 

[SplashMountainMadman]

DW and I ate at Tony's and loved it over out honeymoon last week. Food was expensive, true, but the portions were gigantic and tasty. The service was impeccable - really A+. I've had the cold bread/sundried tomato-olive oil combo many times before, and was impressed by the spicy flavor at Tony's; although they probably mix it in the kitchen, and so it may depend on server/chef/etc.

We loved it, and will definitely go back.

 

[Poohbear123]

Charges $6.95 for Spagehetti and meatballs, and its GOOD! Lasagna is 7.50 and Chicken Parmigian is 8.50! No way would I step foot in Tony's at MK! I avoid Italian, Chinese, Seafood & Steaks when in WDW-WAY too overly priced when I can get it HERE for a LOT LESS!

 

[GRAYWIFE]

We are big fans of Tony's but agree with how pricey it is. The last trip to Tony's we had 3 adults and 1 child. My husband and I split an entree and dessert, My mother ordered the child's spaghetti and my DD got the pizza. It was more than enough food and not as expensive as we had experienced on other trips, (less waste, too). We have always had great servers there and that makes a big difference to me.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

inedible I don't. Have to agree with BluOrchid2. Tony's was just plain blah.

 

[Snowysmom]

I have to agree-Tony's is just not very good. It is overpriced for what you get. The first 2 trips we went on, it was good and offered more variety. The last time we went in 2001, the menu selection was limited and not very good. My son ordered the steak ($23.95)and got about 6 bites of meat. He left hungry. This past trip we just skipped it altogether and did not miss it.