Table service restaurants that don't get discussed much

Is it because the food isn't worth going out of the way for or are any of these hidden gems?

MK:
The Plaza

EP:
Nine Dragons
La Cantina de San Angel

AK:
Yak and Yeti

YC:
Captian's Grille

BW:
ESPN Club
Big River Grille

POR:
Boatright's

SSR:
Turf Club

OKW:
Oliva's

CBR:
Shutters

CSR:
Maya Grill

DTD:
Wolfgang Puck Dining Room
Bongos
Cap n Jacks
House of Blues
Paradiso 37

 

Here's my opinions of the few I've been to on your list:


MK:
The Plaza Just sandwiches, ice cream but a TS meal credit anyway

EP:
Nine Dragons BLURGH Not a hidden gem
La Cantina de San Angel

AK:
Yak and Yeti Pretty good

YC:
Captain's Grille Only ate there for breakfast, was very good

BW:
ESPN Club Like any ESPN restaurant anywhere
Big River Grille

 

I haven't been to the others, but I do enjoy the Plaza quite a bit. It's nothing special, but always good food and service. I think the simplicity (basically sandwiches and stuff) gets overlooked by people looking for different things.

La Cantina is a QS restaurant in Epcot, not TS. They do share a building with Hacienda de San Angel, on the lagoon across the "street" from the Mexican pavilion, but they are not TS at all.

 

I have been to a few of the below.

The Plaza I personally love. It's simple sandwiches and salads. But everything I have had there has been great! I love the strawberry chicken salad. Now there are some great dining places at Disney with things we normally don't get at home, but sometimes you just want some comfort food!

Yak and Yeti is good not great. But my BFF loves it so its a must do for us. I love their thai chicken wings though. For me this is an app only place cuz its a pretty big order. Also, their cream cheese wonton dessert is pretty awesome.

House of Blues we have done once or twice. It's decent cajun inspired food. Nothing super special. We much prefer Ragland Road at DTD.

 

Oh and Big River Grill is actually a chain. I have never been to the one at Disney but I have been in Chattanooga. It's pretty good for what it is. But nothing you can't really get at any burger/pub style restaurant.

 

Of that list - the Plaza is the only one I would care much about. We tried it once, it's a nice little place that serves inexpensive sandwhich style options and ice cream sundaes. The location and the main street style are the main points of it's appeal.

Most of the other ones I would list of as unremarkable. We've almost tried a few of them, but the menu and/or location has made us pass. (As others pointed out Cantina de San Angel is NOT a TS.)

However, we have decided to try Bongo's Cuban Cafe in November. I just made the ADR today. If you can wait 180 days, I'll let you know what I think.

 

I have heard a lot of positive things about Boatwrights at POR, but have not been there.

The only one that can I provide input for is The Plaza. It was sandwiches for 1 TS credit which was a bit much. The service was excellent and the view was very nice. Our main issue with it was that the tables were very close together and we felt like we were part of the conversations around us. Then on one side there were 2 ladies with 2 pre-teen kids carrying on and their mothers didn't do anything, while the kids were basically on top of our table instead of with their mothers. The sandwiches were good, but we did get some of the same sandwiches elsewhere in the parks. Can't say I would do it again.

 

- Haven't been here.

Wow, I thought I had eaten at most of the Disney restaurants but you found many that I haven't tried. I think Grand Floridian Café is a hidden gem as well.

 

Olivia's very good service Conch Chowder was really good. Went on our anniversary super friendly staff. Would go back again. Plaza yes simple food good ice cream good service also would go again. DW Me

 

ESPN Club - Best nachos ever! And huge. DH and I could easily have split them as an entrée. DS enjoyed the chicken fingers.

Maya Grill - best meal of our stay last August! We had a ressie at Ohana and DH wanted a pool day and Maya Grill. I was disappointed to cancel Ohana but then ended up loving my meal. Upscale Mexican is all I can say. And a very nice relaxing atmosphere. Now I must say that Mexican is not easy to come by here in Toronto, particularly upscale, so it was a treat for us. Others may not be too excited if they have it at home frequently.

Thank you for asking this as I HATE ADR's and love to know what TS we can easily get in to. Last Aug DH cancelled 4 on me! It just isn't the way our family rolls. This year I will make maybe 3 and just go with the flow.

 

Olivia's - I just love the breakfast here. I also love OKW so that might play into it, but I've always had an amazing breakfast here. Then I take the boat to DTD to walk around before it gets too crowded.

 

We ate at The Plaza a couple of weeks ago--we selected it as an OOP meal b/c the prices aren't high but it is still a nice, sit down restaurant and has an MK location. We were very pleased, and would repeat as an OOP, but not on DDP, as it wouldn't have much value as a credit.

We've eaten the Captain's Grille, but it's been years...back in 2007 when it was still Yacht Club Galley. We had an excellent, quiet meal there and it was actually the best meal of our trip. We definitely would have considered it a hidden gem back then, but I don't know what it might be like now.

We also ate at Big River Grille back in '07 and didn't care for that one. I don't really remember why, I just remember thinking I wouldn't go back.

I've never personally eaten at Boatwright's, but I've heard wonderful things about it and would love to try it!

 

Yak and Yeti was one of my favorite places we ate during out last visit. Had the steak and shrimp which was very good and had the cream cheese wontons with vanilla sauce for dessert, very very yummy. The decor is very fun too, I would recommend Yak and Yeti highly.

 

Location, location, location. These are difficult to get to from the theme parks unless you happen to be staying near where they are located, or you have a car and are OK with driving back and forth. Puck's dining room is also expensive.

The Plaza is basically a sandwich shop. No real theming, nothing you can't get at home. Nine Dragons has nothing you can't get at a Chinese restaurant at home - at twice the price. So you don't hear a whole lot about these. Marrakesh could be on this list too - it's apparently considered too exotic for many Disney guests, although the offerings are somewhat "Americanized." You might say the same thing about Yak & Yeti. There's that, and the fact that AK usually closes early and a lot of guests don't want to take the time for a sit-down meal if there are no characters involved. I don't know why you say you don't see a lot about La Cantina, I see a lot of discussion of it, as much as any CS restaurant (except Be Our Guest which gets a LOT of discussion).

Combo of lack of theming and locations at resorts.

 

See below.

 

Answers in red to the ones I've eaten at. HTH!

 

I like the Plaza. The food's good, better than most CS at the MK and the prices are decent. Nice place to rest with air conditioning.

I thought Yak & Yeti was decent, similar to the Chinese I can get at home but more expensive. Most reviewers rave about the dessert (fried wontons filled with ice cream on kabobs with pineapples and strawberries with a delicious sauce I believe is caramel), and it is really good.

I'll never return to the House of Blues - it made me violently sick, and I rarely throw up. The rest of my party didn't enjoy it either, although no one else had the same dish as me (the jambalaya).

 

I will say that the Captain's Grille is one of my very favorite places for a good buffet breakfast. It is not a character breakfast - therefore it is NOT loud and crazy. It is nice and relaxing!

 

That's just my opinion. On my up coming trip we are trying Blue Zoo, it doesn't get talked about too much but the reviews I have seen are great. We are hoping it's a hidden gem for us. Also I consider Mama Melrose under rated, my family really enjoyed it on our last trip.

 

We haven't done all but here are the ones we have